Someone says that something as small as a single cell could not really be alive. How would you respond?

Question

Someone says that something as small as a single cell could not really be alive. How would you respond?

Answer 1

Remind them that the single cell, gave them the ability to deny the question?!!!!

Answer 2

I would ask how do you define life? If you define it like how the biology textbooks define it then a cell is alive.  

Answer 3

I would say that their argument is based on a logical fallacy: the argument from incredulity.  

Rather than citing specific evidence, they are taking one basic fact (cells are small) and using it to make the unfounded and otherwise unsupported conclusion that cells couldn't be alive.  What's more, the argument is based on a human sense of size, rather than a biological one - in essence "it's not like us, so it can't be alive."  It's the exact same fallacy behind the idea that "life is too complex to have arisen naturally."

I would, of course, counter the argument with actual evidence.  Cells are small, but their individual components are much, much smaller, allowing them to fit a lot of machinery into a space that is (from our perspective) small.  Cells are capable of reproduction that is readily observable with a microscope.  Cells metabolize nutrients - if you want cells to survive, you need to feed them (and you can analyze the waste products in their environment).  Cells are self regulating - there is a difference in ion concentration across the membrane of the cell which is maintained by active transport (counteracting natural diffusion).  The list goes on and on.

Answer 4

I would laugh in their face and say.....Excuse me how the F do you think humans progressed into what is now known as our society.  I guess you almost have to believe in evolution or the procreation of earth to understand this, but if they don't get it (which they prob. don't) they are country/bumkin never been explained things like this.  What do we go to planets to look for.....duh a single celled organism. A single celled organism created everything that we know of as today as all the animals on earth.  I don't want to get into it, but I would think they are uneducated and really don't understand anything about earth or life or creation of life. I would ingnore them. There is nothing you can do or say to make them think otherwise.  Great Question!  I know what you mean, just not gonna explain it. Have a great Day...Take Care!

Answer 5

look under a microscope. duh. and watch a cingle cell paramecium swim around.

Answer 6

It all comes down to how they define alive. Tell them what the general accepted definition of life is (eg. motion, reproduction, consumption, growth, stimulus response, etc.) and ask them to dispute the fact that these do not describe "life". When they agree that these are the factors which make something "alive" use something small, like an amoeba, paramecium, or if you want to use something visible use a barnacle or something to show that despite their small size, they are alive

if they don't agree with the outlined factors of what life is and want to throw in something like "being able to socialize and make decisions" ask them if they consider trees and plant life as alive.