Sperm.

[Uncle_bob]

Now mods, before you hop on Uncle's sack por favor, this is a serious topic. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_disapprove.gif

Uncle was conversing with some of his podnuas the other day about what sperm are...well, what are they? Would the be considered animals or people? Or just a different group of life entirely? http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_confused.gif

[ABDUR101]

...you did'nt learn in science class what they are?

They aren't classified as animals, obviously.

It's just a male reproductive cell. Just another part of the human body with it's own use.

You would'nt classify a white blood cell as an animal just because it attacks alien organisms to the body and infection right?

[Uncle_bob]

On 2004-03-21 18:00, ABDUR101 wrote:
...you did'nt learn in science class what they are?

They aren't classified as animals, obviously.


Lord no, at Uncle's school anything related to sex is of the DEVIL AND VILE AND EVIL AND WILL DAMN YOU TO HELL ETERNALLY!



It's just a male reproductive cell. Just another part of the human body with it's own use.

You would'nt classify a white blood cell as an animal just because it attacks alien organisms to the body and infection right?



Well, they just seemed a bit weird and different since they tend to squiggle about and have a lot of energy and start human life and whatnot. http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

[Para]

The only time you might even consider a sperm an animal is when it combines to be a zygote.

[_Ted_]

On 2004-03-21 18:03, Uncle_bob wrote:

Lord no, at Uncle's school anything related to sex is of the DEVIL AND VILE AND EVIL AND WILL DAMN YOU TO HELL ETERNALLY!



Some sort of Nazi "You Will Be Formal And Correct Or You Will Die School"?

Since when is Abdur the undefined?

[_Sinue_]

Question: Why wouldn't it be considered a type of animal. Or at least.. a seperate life-form. There are millions of single celled organisms everywhere which get their own classification. Virus's.. heh.. I don't think we even know weither to classify them as living organism or not.

The only difference between a sperm and an E-Coli bacteria is that the sperm is dependant on a collective of other cells for replication and nutrience. Once that nutrience runs out.. it dies. (I don't think a sperm can "eat" or gather energy needed for survival and replication)

Aside from that dependancy, and the fact that (Being part of a collective of other cells) it's programed for one specific task.. it still is a cell just like any other single celled creature.

[anwserman]

Except for the fact that it cannot survive on its own.... a virus, as small as it may be, it survives because it reproduces to create more of itself.

Multiplying sperm. Thats just disturbing.

[Kuea]

On 2004-03-21 19:03, anwserman wrote:
Except for the fact that it cannot survive on its own.... a virus, as small as it may be, it survives because it reproduces to create more of itself.

Multiplying sperm. Thats just disturbing.


yes it is sorta disturbing

[rising_sunset]

On 2004-03-21 19:07, Gajeh wrote:


On 2004-03-21 19:03, anwserman wrote:
Except for the fact that it cannot survive on its own.... a virus, as small as it may be, it survives because it reproduces to create more of itself.

Multiplying sperm. Thats just disturbing.


yes it is sorta disturbing



True about it can't survive in its own, it will die in like 2 to 3 minutes if it is outside a human body, but what so disturbing about it (I'm not a guy, so this could be the reason XP)

[anwserman]

I'm a guy, but isn't the thought disturbing that after the initial explosion, more sperm are being made within... erg... that puddle? http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_eek.gif

I'm sorry, I'm trying to be clean now, but the thought of self-replicating sperm is just wrong, unless it was used as a fertility measure.

[opaopajr]

uncle_bob's old school sounds so oppressive http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

if i could go back in time, knowing then what i know now, and go to that school i'd totally have a blast. it'd be fun listening to all the fire and brimstone talk. y'know how when you wanna laugh, but you can't because it's not socially acceptable, makes whatever is funny that much funnier? i'd be busting a gut trying to hold in the laughter all day. i envy your schooling experience http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif

about sperm. well, abdur said all that's needed to be said. have some confusions about it pick up a beginning biology book (without creationism, but with evolution http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif ) and flip to the section where life is defined. those guidelines, seemingly arbitrary, are still prett good methods of definition. unfortunately life always produces fun brain teasers that love to toe that line aka. viruses. but if you can come up with a better compilation of definitions with suitable methodology you are welcome to present it and have it checked by peers in the biology field.

though calling funky looking cells "wholly separate life-forms" definitely opens a whole can of worms. it might be best to stick with what we have now until there's better evidence to the contrary. can you imagine the difficulty if you had to analyze each and every secretion for "potential separate lifeforms?" i'd hate to think that blowing my nose could be considered "abortion" or something http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif haha, wouldn't that be silly?