(May 26, 2014 at 11:26 pm)Losty Wrote:(May 26, 2014 at 11:19 pm)Heywood Wrote: An embryo created in a petri dish, is that not a contiguous living system?
The ability "to survive on its own" is not in the definition of an organism. You cannot survive on your own. If all the beneficial bacteria in your gut were eradicated, you would die. Therefore you are not a human being because you cannot survive, "on your own".....right?
What are the characteristics of an organism Heywood?
Homeostasis maybe one of them...maybe.
Embryos engage in cellular homeostasis.