# Are Living Systems Machines?

**URL:** <https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/t/are-living-systems-machines/1149>\
**Category:** Side Conversation\
**Created:** [August 13, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/t/are-living-systems-machines/1149 "2018-08-13T01:47:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 38

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nwrickert](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.peacefulscience.org/nwrickert/32/810_2.png) [@nwrickert](https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/u/nwrickert)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/t/are-living-systems-machines/1149/38 "2018-08-14T03:21:00Z")

</div>

> [@JoeG](#):
>
> We are clearly physical beings- the parts would be the organs, tissues, bones, systems etc., all assembled and working in a predetermined manner.

A dead person, immediately after death, is the same assemblage of parts as before death. What has changed, are the processes.

In any case, this argument is pointless. “Machine” is not defined precisely enough to settle the question on the basis of the definition.

If you want to see a living system as a machine, that’s your choice. For me, it just doesn’t match what I expect of a machine.

---

_[View the full topic](https://discourse.peacefulscience.org/t/are-living-systems-machines/1149)._