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Abstract
Although life may be a miracle, it does not appear to have any crucial function in the life of the universe, since, from its perspective dark matter, groups of galaxies, huge gas and dust clouds, dark holes and cataclysmic explosions (where it seems there is no life) have the leading role. However, despite its lack of significance in the cosmic level, life has a central role in our consciousness, in our affections and worries, in our values and emotions. Alter focusing in the biological (rather than biographical) meaning of life, and after expounding and examining the
limitations of different definitions of life, this work maintains that life, at least as it is known on earth, is unique since it obeys mainly biological laws restricted to our planet, rather than physical or chemical laws which are universal. Other possibilities of life, from their physicchemical characteristics are explored. Is life a rare exception in a non-biotic universe or is it a common occurrence in a universe full of life? Can we conceive of other forms of life? There are some who hold that life is almost a miracle (Ernst Mayr), some others think that it obeys universal laws, that it is a "cosmic imperative" (Christian de Duve). Whatever it may be, in order to find out whether we are unique miracles or regular cycles of a cosmic coming to be, we need to determine whether there is extraterrestrial life and which are its characteristics. Only through this we can have a precise answer to the question: What is life?
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References
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