A Thunk is a beguilingly simple-looking question about everyday things that stops you in your tracks and helps you start to look at the world in a whole new light. © Ian Gilbert.
Thunk 17:
Can fire be considered to be alive?
Can fire be considered to be alive?
34 comments:
If one takes "alive" to mean "having spirit or vigor", then in a manner of speaking yes, fire can be "alive". Though the particles in fire behave the same way as in a living being, it's only 'matter'. It needs presence of 'mind' to feel and to be alive then fire isn't alive.
Considered? Of course. When I think of being alive I straight away think: "Living... Breathing". And very simply fire does legitimately breathe in the air around it.
But that is a really good question... Fire seems to have a mind of its own, sways where it feels. Is that not what life is?
I believe fire is alive it moves and uses oxygen and creates heat.Also you cant really control fire it has its own path.
Hmm is fire alive....Its like saying is air alive, No, according to me fire is associated with anger and death. Fire does behave the same way as humans do and do associate with movement but it cannot be considered alive.
If one takes "alive" to mean "possessing life", then no, fire can under no circumstances be "alive" in that life is an organic phenomenon comprised of goal-directed, self-interest action.
In some ways, yes, fire can be "alive"-it eats, drinks, moves, takes in oxygen, and it gives out carbondioxide.
In hinduism and buddhism, fire is also considered a God called Agni, which is supposed to have seven hands, two heads and three legs.
Wow!! A very interesting question!
Alive means living..........((sooo confusing))
Fire is not literally alive but if you think about it from a different side, from a different perspective…….then it actually could be, like Duwane said “Fire seems to have a mind of its own, sways where it feels.”...........
(((still confused :p))
Yes in a sense fire is alive.It uses oxygen to burn like lauren said.It also grows/increases when it is given more oxygen.It also moves.
Aisha Bashir
10g2
Being alive means....living, breathing, having a mind of its own..
So if you’re asking if fire is alive, in that respect then yes!
It CAN BE DANGEROUS as well as advantageous...and what are living things, we can be evil and kind - all the same. Fire’s positive aspects are that it can keep you warm, it can protect you. Whereas it also can destroy you, it can kill, its associated with anger ..
So overall, it’s the best of both worlds, and what do we humans have?? The best of both worlds! :)
Well, fire has the ability to destroy the living things around us. Whereas, as Zaina said, it also keeps us warm and protects us in certain circumstances. It can be a threat and a saviour at the same time. Therefore it can be considered alive.
Living, as many before have said, is breathing. Fire does actually fall into this criteria as it cannot exist without oxygen. It consumes oxygen.
Although, fire does not have a mind and is not "actually" living, it cannot be considered living either.
This is very confusing :)
Let me do some research first
Living means breathing, being alive and having the ability to do certain things. I would say fire is a living thing as it moves, breathes, consumes oxygen and is incredibly effective on other individuals. In the same way that living things represnt certain emotions, fire does as well. We associate it with anger and danger. Something living has the tendancy to have an effect (be it, positive or negative) on someone or something else and in the the same way fire can have a strong impact.
uhmm very interesting thunk.
well when you talk about considering its just letting your imagination run wild. in the real sense fire wouldn't be living but when you come to think of it why not?? it does respire (take in oxygen to keep going) and well fire has a mind of its own and when you closing inspect it, it looks as though it is full of emotion sometimes anger sometimes passion sometimes revenge sometimes lust.
I guess it all depends on ones perspective
fire can be alive in a sense because it has features of living things: intake of oxygen, give out carbon dioxide, and can choose it's own path really.
But then again, its controllable? you can increase the flame by adding substances to it; for e.g. kerosene. Fire can also be extinguised, with and without ease.
its really hard to pick one side about whether fire can be considered to be living; but in my personal opinion yes it is.
Amazing thunk!
Fire is matter and as to that matter, it cannot be alive. It cannot feel, even though it can destroy it does not have a mind or soul. Although substances like plants do not have 'minds' but they are considered to be living things.
Maybe its because of what each of them are associated with. Fire, although the bringer of warm and heat, can cause destruction, most of which beyond repair. Also associated with intense emotions and passions, like hate, evil etc.
Whereas plants are the bringers of life itself; trees give us oxygen, crops give us edible products etc.
Perhaps it depends on each individual's unique perspective. In my opinion, yes it can be considered to be alive.
Fire, well sure fire is alive, it sways with the wind, it breathes in oxygen breathes out carbon dioxide, it's made of matter, sometimes it can be out of control (e.g. forest fires), or it can be controlled (candles), it can be extinguished. It has a purpose too, a job, actually many jobs. So why not? It moves, it respires and expires, it conspires (at times, very unlucky times), it rebels, it revels... in short, it does everything that's embedded in basic human nature. So I guess that emphasizes its aliveness (not a word, i know, I'm being creative :P)
First, let us look at the characteristics shared by all living things.
They move, reproduce, respond to stimuli, grow, respire, excrete, and need to be sustained by something else.
Fire moves, ravaging and scattering its flames, thus reproducing itself as well. It responds to stimuli = oxygen, fuel. It grows. It 'breathes' oxygen, which is needed to keep it going.
Fire, being full of energy and vigor, has several temperaments as well, much like all living creatures. It blazes on its own accord, unpredictable and destructive, choosing its own path based on its own moods.
And when it dies, it leaves dust behind.
Therefore, yes, fire can be considered alive.
Fire = Passion and Passion = Living.
...
but in a less romanticized way, uh, yes, I do believe fire is alive. Maybe not a living thing, but definitely alive. It needs oxygen to survive, just as we do, it needs a supporting base - be it a splint, a paper, wood or even human flesh - and as Arizza said...oddly enough, it does reproduce.
So, yes! Alive, but not a living thing.
It isn't really a living thing, but yes, it can be considered alive. It moves around freely, it 'eats' on things and 'grows'.
:D
Making fire to generate heat and light made it possible for people to cook food. The heat produced would also keep people stay warm in colder weather, allowing them to live in cooler climates. Fire also provides protection.
At the same time, fire can be a murderous, unforgiving weapon; killing thousands of people, forrests, destroying cities etc.
Every living organism has the potential to either give or take away life. Considering fire falls under the same category of providing or taking away life, to some extent, yes, fire is alive.
fire can be considered to be alive since have few common characteristics like living things.. such as inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.. a fire would die out if there's not enough oxygen provided.
its random motion like all living things..its ability to give and take away life.. its significance of being a hope for someone..
Fire; it breathes, survives on oxygen, spreads, swallows anything that gets in its path, has a fierce personality of it's own. Is that not considered alive, in it's own way?
It all depends on what we perceive as being 'alive'. Personally, a fire is a being of itself, roaring and mocking us the greater it gets, having no sympathy, no pity, but is merciless. No, it is not a living organism, but the flames that gently lick and curl around any object within reach, should be considered 'alive'.
Hmm....
Well yes in a way. lets try and compare it to any other thing which breathes. Like animals or even humans. We have a beginning and we have an end. The fire has the same thing. It also grows if you think about it. its starts small and it would grow and the fire is also capable of dying. The flames could be calm or viciously violent. These could represent emotions. So yes. :)
xx
Well, yes, it wouldn't be so 'lively' or wouldn't be able to pread around if it was dead now won't it?
(We don't really need to dissect the fact on how it's alive, I think everyone's pretty much done it. :p )
Fire in my opinion, is very much alive and has a rather aggressive personality. Like everyone said, it does in fact 'breathe' oxygen, 'eat' fuel and 'move', during the process of combustion. These three being the basic characteristics of any living being.
The reason I classify it as having an arrogant personality is because of how sharply it retaliates when it's messed around with. It spreads fiercely and destroys instantly, leaving nothing but insignificant heaps of ash around. Fire does have soul. (an evil one at that :P) But then again, it also has a positive side to it, which is widely utilized by the human race.
Simultaneously, i would regard it as elegant and graceful. The vivid colours it's made up of; it's swift, choreographed movements - all examples of the above.
Possessing numerous features of any living organism,fire is indeed, alive to me. :)
When a house is on fire, it does seem as if the fire is finding more and more victims in the lifeless furniture of the place. It continues spreading and taking up more trees when there's a forest fire.
So I guess, with all that 'enthusiasm' to gobble up innocent lives and objects, fire has the right to be called alive.
Hmm.. In its own sense, yes fire is alive. It requires oxygen, its grows, it exerts emotions such as anger, it has a stubborn attitude of not giving up and destroying alot around it; very similar to us humans, huh? And if we're considered living organisms that are"alive", then why can't fire be considered to be the same?
Fire can be alive, but it cannot have a life.
Something that's alive can be defined as what breathes, moves or reproduces..or participates in ANY of the body systems (like respiration, circulation and reproduction being the major ones).
To me, anything can be alive, and anything can be dead, in the object's own way.
Scientifically, this is, basically, false, due to the simple logic applied of particle movement and combustion, etc...
But when I look at this Philosophically, I see no reason for fire not to be considered as living. What if a fire has a mind of its own, it has thoughts, it has the ability to sense and feel, but it is will hidden? If you scare some animals, or they think you have discovered their camoflauge, don't they retaliate by pretending to be dead, as a line of defence? What if every fire was doing this, and co-ordinating with each other in some distant universe?
How about the warmth you feel, the danger you sense, the beauty you observe, the attraction that you treasure, is this not an aspect of life? Also, I do not believe that fires are un-controllable, because if I place myself in it's position, I would feel as if I was in perfect control. When I watch a fire spread, I see strength, power, destruction, awe, beauty, and, most of all, complete control, so, to me, I believe that a fire is alive, just in it's own way.
Compare this to a table, which is immobile and holds the scientifical characteristics of death, a fire is unique, not some object that you can adjust or colour, but a fire can adjust itself to whatever feeling you may have. When you feel angry, and you gaze at a fire, a mental connection inhibits itself and attaches your mind with it's mind, so that you send your feelings to it, and you mentally communicate with it.
A fire has a power like no other, for it can connect to your mind, whether you notice this or not, and it can recieve your feelings, and either calm you down, or enrage you. Are these not similar characteristics of a person calming, or enraging, another person? Each fire has the potential to release energy, just like us, but in magnified quantities, and this could be in the form of a hypnotizing sensation when you gaze at it, or of a connection of feelings and thoughts, or of a source to provide electricity. Why can this not be called something living? Surely, something as superb and unique in every manner such as this should not be classified as dead, or of not-living.
Fire is definitely a life form of it's own. Though it does not function in the state of emotion, it has all the physical signs and traits of life.
I'd say yes. In a technical sense, it uses up oxygen to survive, just like us. But also, when you see a fire created from scratch, and as it builds itself up, it LOOKS alive, it feels like this fire is alive, there's something in its cycle, it starts from nothing and eventually reaches its tether and dies. To me, fire is alive.
Well, Fire does alot of what other living things do.
We breath and exchange gases, so does fire, we have mass and are made of matter, so does fire, we can be really intresting to look at, so is fire, we abosrb energy through our surroundings, so does fire we reproduce and spread, so does fire.
I'd say why not ? Fire is alive, I can even talk to it and have a memorable conversation (I'm not kidding)
Plus fire can give life, there are plants in this world that can only release their seeds once a forest fire has begun, or when ever a fire devastates a area it usually ends up becoming just as fertile and full of life as before.
Oh and wasn't the Devil manifested from fire ? haha
Plus it
Fire is associated with feelings of anger,of hate.
Fire is also dangerous & destructive but it is also used For good purposes.
Fire moves,It takes in oxygen & gives out heat energy so yes i do think it is alive.
to be considered alive, you have to breathe and have your own mind.
plants breathe through use of sunlight, they have their own mind in terms of making food and things
animals also breathe and have their own mind same with humans.
fire does breathe, because if they have oxygen theyre extinguished, but they dont have their own mind. they are unable to stop or continue or do anything else when they want
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