In this short film, we explain what distinguishes living from non-living things. It covers three main aspects in which they differ.
Organization: life is not different from non-life in terms of what it is made of, but rather how it is put together. In particular, living organisms are organised in a way that enables them to self-manufacture: to not only produce all the their components but also to assemble them in a way that ensures their own continued existence. This is called autopoiesis. Living things are also embodied in their environment in a way that is different from how software, for instance, is embedded in its hardware in a computer. Finally, organisms live in a large world, which is full of ambiguity and surprises, while non-living things like algorithms exist in a small world, where everything is well-defined.
Evolution: living things come to be in a way that is very different from non-living things. For example, a machine is made by connecting its parts for some purpose in the mind of its constructor. In contrast, living things construct themselves through development and evolution. Their purpose is to continue living.
Interaction: it is important that we treat living things differently from non-living things. Your car needs servicing by a mechanic. When it is broken, it needs to be fixed. If you want to upgrade it, you needs to be augmented by adding new parts. Organisms don't need fixing. They need nurturing. All you need to do is to allow them to thrive. The rest will happen all on its own.
