With the buzz created by the discovery of giant viruses, for example Mimivirus, the distinction between viruses and cells is said to get blurred. I maintain that this is not the case because the single most important distinction is that viruses lose their corporeal integrity, cells do not. What do you think? Are you a blurrer or a non-blurrer?
An aside: Not everyone knows what a "Talmudic Question" is. Rather than telling you what I had in mind, would those who know share their definition?
I'm a non-blurrer. Just because there are some giant viruses doesn't mean that the divisions between viruses and cells are less defined when we once thought. A virus is a virus, and a cell is a cell. But, I do believe in evolution - may be the Mimivirus is in the midst of evolving into a bacterium! That's exciting!
Now, as for what a Talmudic Question is . . . I was kind of associating the quality of these questions with the Talmud, of the Jewish religion. If my understanding is correct, there is a holy text in the Jewish religion that asks philosophical questions - questions meant to make the reader think. I have a feeling that's the Talmud; but I'm not quite sure. So, yeah, that's what I think a Talmudic Question is.
Posted by: Autumn Cochrane | June 29, 2008 at 08:27 PM