Caution: Nerds At Work
April 23, 2008 by Lynda
me: I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We’ve created life in our own image.
- Stephen Hawking
Dan: Heh, except that a virus isn’t considered life
Oh, started reading an interesting book
me: Read teh first sentence again.
Dan: Right, but he’s comparing computer viruses with real viruses and real viruses are not classified as life
me: Ah.
Dan: A virus is simply an RNA molecule and life is classified as having DNA
me: No.
You are wrong. He is compare computer viruses to the human race.
He says nothing of actual viruses.
Dan: Virus != life
me: Right.
But he is saying computer virus should be counted as such.
Dan: He’s claiming that we’ve created something akin to life, ie a virus
me: computer virus.
Dan: But he’s equating a computer virus to be like a virus (a real virus)
Which he’s claiming to be a form of life
me: I don’t see that.
Dan: Thank god I’m allowed to have my own opinion
me: I don’t see him equating a computer virus to an actual virus. I think you are reading into it.
hehe. Yeah, you are allowed your own opinion.
Also, we are really nerdy.
me: And I am totally blogging this.
Dan: >.>
I agree with you — he’s comparing a computer virus with humans. “We’ve created life in our own image.”
Real virus- Can kill indiscriminately.
Computer virus- Can only kill nerds…
I was going to make a nice witty comment but i laughed too hard at Buffalodickdy’s comment and have to go change my pants…
Ha, sadly enough, without reading the rest of the post my initial reaction to your first sentence was, “But viruses aren’t considered a form of life!” I am so right there with you in my nerdiness.
Actually when I was in school they taught us that there was still some debate in the scientific community over whether viruses should or should not be considered alive. Maybe Steven Hawking believes they should be.
I do see what you’re saying, though. The statement never explictly compares computer viruses to actual viruses, just to living things in general. And yet I still disagree with it because one of the reasons viruses aren’t considered “living things” is that they can’t reproduce on their own without invading a host body. Same goes for computer viruses, right?
That Stephen Hawkings is a trouble maker.
Oh gosh the things we can get tangled up in!!
god, don’t you love getting blog stuff from your husband??!!!! It’s usually priceless!!
Finn - It is a good discussion quote. lol!
buffalodickdy - Yes, when it takes out said nerd’s computer!
Blue - hehehe
blakbyrd - I don’t know what Stephen Hawkings believes, but you might be right.
JQ - No kidding! I think Dan was getting mad at me!
Nanna - We have some pretty interesting discussions. hehe
Beth - Even better when they don’t protest to you putting stuff up!
I see it your way. What I got out of it was, here we are, we humans who have managed to create something non-living that is just as damaging to the tech realm that is just as destructive as we living beings are to each other. I think it’s more about cause and effect and relativity than it is about DNA, RNA, etc… Somehow, we have managed to create something just as “life” -draining, that has run rampant, without physically birthing it.
I knew there was a reason I don’t read anything by him. My head is spinning.