Why is life programmed to survive?

[Whateverist]

Intelligent design,yes, along with any teleological intention.  Evolution is 'pushed from behind' by the triumph of the most advantageously equipped as determined by the reproducing sweepstakes.  It isn't 'pulled along' by by the intent of any intelligent designer nor cosmos as a whole.

Surely electromagnetism and gravity exert shaping force on living structure?  Would you call that a push or a pull?

A push. All those things are in the mix, providing the backdrop which must be accounted for by the life forms which survive to reproduce. But explain to me in what manner such conditions are intending toward a particular outcome.

Is the manifestation of round waves in a round bucket full of water "pushed" or "pulled" by the shape of the bucket?

All are pushes, nothing is being drawn to a particular outcome. There is no meta-intention, just inevitable outcomes given the nature of the materials. (This is just my own spur of the moment metaphor, probably no longer helpful, if it ever was.)

[Arkilogue]

Strip mines and polluting factories are, themselves..some of the most meticulous expressions of order on the planet.  Order isn't always pretty, or green.  You're not really talking about order, though...are you, lol.

Looking transparently through the horizontal strata of the earth, yeah that big freaking hole is a disorder. But again, from who's perspective?

The dissection of a body can be a very meticulously ordered procedure....of undoing all the structural order of the body.

[The Grand Nudger]

Looking transparently through the horizontal strata of the earth, yeah that big freaking hole is a disorder.  But again, from who's perspective?

The phrase you're looking for is "ideologically abhorrent eyesore".  I don't like strip mines either, but you can't argue with the order in which they are dug and operated. Unless you don't really want to talk about -order-...and would prefer, instead..to discuss that other phrase.  

The dissection of a body can be a very meticulously ordered procedure....of undoing all the structural order of the body.

Yes, and?

[Arkilogue]

Surely electromagnetism and gravity exert shaping force on living structure?  Would you call that a push or a pull?

A push.  All those things are in the mix, providing the backdrop which must be accounted for by the life forms which survive to reproduce.  But explain to me in what manner such conditions are intending toward a particular outcome.

Is the manifestation of round waves in a round bucket full of water "pushed" or "pulled" by the shape of the bucket?

All are pushes, nothing is being drawn to a particular outcome.  There is no meta-intention, just inevitable outcomes given the nature of the materials.  (This is just my own spur of the moment metaphor, probably no longer helpful.)

Gravity shapes things radially in the cosmos but on our scale the interaction is vertical. Electricity travels as a tubular skin effect in one direction. So combining these gives me a vertical tube that flows in one direction. You probably do this each morning after coffee.

"Material" is not the only influence, there are forces and fields to account for as well.

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Looking transparently through the horizontal strata of the earth, yeah that big freaking hole is a disorder.  But again, from who's perspective?

The phrase you're looking for is "ideologically abhorrent eyesore".  I don't like strip mines either, but you can't argue with the order in which they are dug and operated. Unless you don't really want to talk about -order-...and would prefer, instead..to discuss that other phrase.  

The dissection of a body can be a very meticulously ordered procedure....of undoing all the structural order of the body.

Yes, and?

I'm taking about the original order of the strata of the earth being dug up with tiny buckets and put in piles or sifted in machines. The original order is no more.

A surgical military strike is a symphony of order and mechanical operation....that causes destruction/disorder.

So which is it? Is the dissection of a body and act of order or disorder? Is the dissection of the earth order, disorder or neither/both?

[ScienceAf]

Well intelligent life creates chaos.

... as well as order. None of that plays any role in "yin-yang" drive to living through balancing chaos or what-have-you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...
I shouldn't have mentioned ying yang.

[Whateverist]

A push.  All those things are in the mix, providing the backdrop which must be accounted for by the life forms which survive to reproduce.  But explain to me in what manner such conditions are intending toward a particular outcome.



All are pushes, nothing is being drawn to a particular outcome.  There is no meta-intention, just inevitable outcomes given the nature of the materials.  (This is just my own spur of the moment metaphor, probably no longer helpful.)

Gravity shapes things radially in the cosmos but on our scale the interaction is vertical. Electricity travels as a tubular skin effect in one direction.  So combining these gives me a vertical tube that flows in one direction. You probably do this each morning after coffee.

"Material" is not the only influence, there are forces and fields to account for as well.

Of course. And life does this as it must in whatever way it does and the survivors reproduce. What do you think we are arguing about? I concede that everything must be accommodated by life .. forces, materials, predators, same-niche competitors, you name it. You keep mentioning more of these but why?

My only point is that none of these things are exercising intention. There is not only no designer there is also no plan being carried out of any kind. Do you speak zen? Do you know the poem:

The wild geese do not intend to cast their reflection, and the water has no mind to retain their image.

Similarly life does not intend to survive to reproduce itself, rather, that which survives to reproduce will most often produce more life of the same kind because that is all that it can do. The cosmos has no mind to impose anything, rather, the cosmos just is the totality of forces and materials with which all life must contend. Is there intentionality behind the composition of the cosmos? Of what would that consist? I don't think so.

[RozKek]

It isn't programmed to survive. It's just you never see the ones whom didn't 'want' to survive. Organisms just "act" and the ones who got the 'want to survive genes for some reason', acted and evolved in a specific way survived, there is no purpose to it. That's just the way it is, that's just how the cookie crumbles.

[Jenny A]

I have been wondering, why is life designed and programmed to survive? From our genes to our teeth, everything we have is in order to survive. This is also the case for plants, and every living being. We also know how this process happens from a biological perspective. Evolution, etc.

But now the question remains, why does life struggle to survive? This universe, or even Earth, does not care if there is life or not. And actually, chances are every life on Earth will disappear, as it has happened to 99% of all species that have existed. The Sun will eventually grow enough to absorb planet Earth, and then it will explode, making sure nothing will be left. 

I know this may be a philosphical question too, not only a scientific one. But as far as I know this question has not been answered. On the big scheme of things, we does life fight to survive?

All life may or may not have had a will to survive.  But any life form without either a will to reproduce or a will to survive, wouldn't survive long. What you see is those creatures who have survived.  Thus you see creatures with a will to survive.  Next.  . . .

[Macoleco]

Many have said that it is in order to reproduce, but why? This need to survive and reproduce exist even in animals who dont think. Therefore "Will" does not need to be involved.

So far the only answer that has made me think a little is the one by "Rhythm", saying that life is not programmed to survive and therefore the question makes no sense. I would like to know why he thinks this way, and why those words are euphisms.

Then "CapnAwesome" said that the "will to survive in inherent of life". Why? And what if we havent discovered life that has no will to live? Maybe it exists, somewhere.

Also, most replies are a discussion between the dog and telestic dude.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Well intelligent life creates chaos.

The surface of the sun is roiling "chaos", but have you ever seen it fade or brighten?

The sun actually does dim and brighten, with sunspots. I don't see them, but that's because I don't make a habit of staring at the sun, for what I hope are obvious reasons, and because the change in total output is probably too small for my eyes to detect.

But even in its "roiling chaos", it changes its output regularly.

And the original meaning of the word "chaos" (Greek) is an infinite ocean of undifferentiated water-like substance. There is no arising and falling of forms because no form is possible where there is no empty space to define an outer membrane.

Captain Obvious to Lieutenant Irrelevant, please 10-3, repeat, please 10-3.

The point of life is obvious: To grow.

And a bacterium comprehends that how, again? Or, say, a mushroom?

Obvious humanocentrism is obvious.