10-21-2013, 02:45 PM
This post should be titled: "Are Viruses Alive? - a Trilogy"
(Or: "Jesus Howl, just make up your damn mind.")
So basically, it's been up for debate as to whether virus agents should be considered living or not. Preliminary investigation via the internet told me that viruses are not considered "alive". So I went and ruled that they were under the purview of Matter. However, after talking to Noel and doing a bit more in-depth research, I feel that the definition is mostly a semantic one. Viruses cannot reproduce on their own, but nonetheless I think, having DNA, they meet the requirements of Life in the basic sense. So basically, for those of you who I told to use Matter... I was totally wrong. My final ruling on this for the purpose of this SL is that viruses do fall under the Life sphere. (Though ultimately the decision should fall to Sam, as the Admin, so if he disagrees with this, that's totally his call.)
Anyway, apologies to everyone for my fickle decision-making process. At this point I forget who I told what, or how this change of decision will have affected past Arete rolls. I don't think it will have made a dramatic difference, since ultimately everyone got the info they were looking for anyway, but if anyone wants to have a roll re-interpreted or to make any new rolls, please feel free to drop me a message and I'll correct the error.
(Or: "Jesus Howl, just make up your damn mind.")
So basically, it's been up for debate as to whether virus agents should be considered living or not. Preliminary investigation via the internet told me that viruses are not considered "alive". So I went and ruled that they were under the purview of Matter. However, after talking to Noel and doing a bit more in-depth research, I feel that the definition is mostly a semantic one. Viruses cannot reproduce on their own, but nonetheless I think, having DNA, they meet the requirements of Life in the basic sense. So basically, for those of you who I told to use Matter... I was totally wrong. My final ruling on this for the purpose of this SL is that viruses do fall under the Life sphere. (Though ultimately the decision should fall to Sam, as the Admin, so if he disagrees with this, that's totally his call.)
Anyway, apologies to everyone for my fickle decision-making process. At this point I forget who I told what, or how this change of decision will have affected past Arete rolls. I don't think it will have made a dramatic difference, since ultimately everyone got the info they were looking for anyway, but if anyone wants to have a roll re-interpreted or to make any new rolls, please feel free to drop me a message and I'll correct the error.