Week 6 - Living and Non-living

I consider all things in our natural world to be part of a living system. All these systems can be broken down in definitely into smaller and smaller living systems. All these beings, plants, dirt, rock, animals, air, clouds, water have movement, breath, energy, light, pressure, food that they use and need to continue to exist. I consider most manmade object to be part of a non-living system. The desks, carpet and light that help make up a classroom don't need to exist in order for the classroom to exist and the classroom doesn't exist in order for those objects to exist. There is a purpose but no mutual regenerating relationship between the two. Also consider an oil field. The oil does not need the machine in order to continue being oil and the oil doesn't exist to give the machines purpose. These man made things are inserted into the world with no reciprocal purpose. They do not create or contribute to the process of life and in many cases they destroy it.