Definition
Living Matter
Living Matter is matter that has been organized into self-modifying, dynamically stable networks of functions. It is distinguished from dead matter by its ability to utilize free energy to maintain low entropy and perform computation.
Historical Perspective
In the 19th century, the origin of living matter was seen as an unanswerable question. William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) famously stated in 1871:
“Dead matter cannot become living without coming under the influence of matter previously alive. This seems to me as sure a teaching of science as the law of gravitation.”
Modern Computational View
Modern research into abiogenesis and artificial life suggests that the distinction between life and non-life is a matter of degree rather than a fundamental “vital force”. Living matter is effectively computronium—matter that has “condensed” from a random “Turing gas” into functional, self-replicating code.
Observation
Living matter is essentially a “palimpsest”, where each layer of complexity (from mitochondria to the neocortex) represents a fossilized record of past symbiotic mergers and evolutionary transitions.