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ALL POSTSGems aren't actually alive 
<p>Disclaimer: I know that everyone knows that gems aren't biologically alive. This is just a train of thought I had during the day, and it's kind of weird if you think about it.
</p><p>There are about 6Â qualifications in order for something to be considered as 'living', and gems only qualify for a few of them.
</p><p>1. Have cells and DNA: No
</p><p>2. Reproduce: No
</p><p>3. Grow and Develop: Mentally, yes
</p><p>4: Use energy: I assume, yes
</p><p>5: Have a need for resources and energy: They technically should, but aside from Amethyst eating, I don't think gems need to consume anything for energy. So, no.
</p><p>6: Respond to stimuli: Yes
</p><p>This puts gems on the same level as a virus or computer program, which act like living things and convey ideas, but aren't alive as we know it. Given that they're made of light and stone, this isn't very surprising, but it's kind of... unsettling...
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(Edited by Solstice the Icewing)
<p>Actually apparently it's been stated that gems do contain dna, hence how Rose was able to have Steven (as well as an example of reproduction by gems.)
</p>
(Edited by Anonymius)
2
<p>I mean they're just 2D images drawn by people and shown on TV, so technically they aren't alive.
</p><p>Also, you are technically correct on saying that they aren't "alive" <i>due</i> to the fact that our understanding of <i>what is</i> alive comes from our own observations. Though it is extremely moot classifying the Gems as "non-living" based on our own understandings. They are more alive than most plants that we can observe. They have more autonomy than most animals that we can observe. They are alive in their own way. Similar to how our understanding is still expanding, it is safe to assume that what the Gems are and how they work is still outside of our scope of understanding. It was hundreds of years ago that our understanding of how some diseases work was revolutionized due to the discovery of microscopic organisms that caused such illnesses.
</p><p>1. Have cells and DNA: In a sense they have a single <i>cell</i>, defined as the most basic functional unit of an individual; that being their gemstone. Everything a gem is is inside the gemstone; how they work, how they look, how they think, etc. In a way, the gemstone is just an amalgam of all the organelles found inside the cell, the nucleus included. And as for DNA, they technically don't have that since DNA is an organic molecule, it was said that they have their own version of a sort of template of they work, something akin to DNA.
</p><p>2. Reproduce: This is also another moot point since even we as viewers don't even know how they reproduce, we know that they do (the Kindergartens), we just don't know <i>how</i> they do it.
</p><p>3. Grow and Develop: They do, not just mentally. Continuing the point of number 2, Gems start out as a nucleus (in crystal growth not the organelle) that is buried deep within the earth and from there they stockpile nutrients from the soil for their own development. And once they're ready, they pop out of the ground. Like in organic beings, this stage is where most defects also arise. Whether they came out too early (supposedly like Skinny Jasper) or they came out way too late (like Amethyst), they deviate from what is considered the normal attributes of a gem.
</p><p>4-5. Use energy-Have a need for resources and energy: In a way they do, again continuing from number 3, the gems as they develop they stock pile nutrients and supposedly energy in their time underground for future use. As to how they use the nutrients gathered to become usable energy, we still don't know.
</p><p>6. Respond to stimuli: Yes, they also have sentience having knowledge in some areas that are way above that of a human's understanding and a sense of autonomy.
</p><p>Also, I wouldn't place them on the same levels as virus as those are still not understood quite well. They are considered as a life form due to it having genetic material, being able to reproduce (once inside a host cell), and evolve (via natural selection) but they also lack some aspects of what we understand of what life is.
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(Edited by Iudexkoo)
<div class="quote"><i>Iudexkoo wrote:
I mean they're just 2D images drawn by people and shown on TV, so technically they aren't alive. <p>Also, you are technically correct on saying that they aren't "alive" <i>due</i> to the fact that our understanding of <i>what is</i> alive comes from our own observations. Though it is extremely moot classifying the Gems as "non-living" based on our own understandings. They are more alive than most plants that we can observe. They have more autonomy than most animals that we can observe. They are alive in their own way. Similar to how our understanding is still expanding, it is safe to assume that what the Gems are and how they work is still outside of our scope of understanding. It was hundreds of years ago that our understanding of how some diseases work was revolutionized due to the discovery of microscopic organisms that caused such illnesses. </p><p>1. Have cells and DNA: In a sense they have a single <i>cell</i>, defined as the most basic functional unit of an individual; that being their gemstone. Everything a gem is is inside the gemstone; how they work, how they look, how they think, etc. In a way, the gemstone is just an amalgam of all the organelles found inside the cell, the nucleus included. And as for DNA, they technically don't have that since DNA is an organic molecule, it was said that they have their own version of a sort of template of they work, something akin to DNA. </p><p>2. Reproduce: This is also another moot point since even we as viewers don't even know how they reproduce, we know that they do (the Kindergartens), we just don't know <i>how</i> they do it. </p><p>3. Grow and Develop: They do, not just mentally. Continuing the point of number 2, Gems start out as a nucleus (in crystal growth not the organelle) that is buried deep within the earth and from there they stockpile nutrients from the soil for their own development. And once they're ready, they pop out of the ground. Like in organic beings, this stage is where most defects also arise. Whether they came out too early (supposedly like Skinny Jasper) or they came out way too late (like Amethyst), they deviate from what is considered the normal attributes of a gem. </p><p>4-5. Use energy-Have a need for resources and energy: In a way they do, again continuing from number 3, the gems as they develop they stock pile nutrients and supposedly energy in their time underground for future use. As to how they use the nutrients gathered to become usable energy, we still don't know. </p><p>6. Respond to stimuli: Yes, they also have sentience having knowledge in some areas that are way above that of a human's understanding and a sense of autonomy. </p><p>Also, I wouldn't place them on the same levels as virus as those are still not understood quite well. They are considered as a life form due to it having genetic material, being able to reproduce (once inside a host cell), and evolve (via natural selection) but they also lack some aspects of what we understand of what life is. </p> </i></div>
<p>u must be smart, or u searshed it up idrk </p><p>good point btw </p>
I mean they're just 2D images drawn by people and shown on TV, so technically they aren't alive. <p>Also, you are technically correct on saying that they aren't "alive" <i>due</i> to the fact that our understanding of <i>what is</i> alive comes from our own observations. Though it is extremely moot classifying the Gems as "non-living" based on our own understandings. They are more alive than most plants that we can observe. They have more autonomy than most animals that we can observe. They are alive in their own way. Similar to how our understanding is still expanding, it is safe to assume that what the Gems are and how they work is still outside of our scope of understanding. It was hundreds of years ago that our understanding of how some diseases work was revolutionized due to the discovery of microscopic organisms that caused such illnesses. </p><p>1. Have cells and DNA: In a sense they have a single <i>cell</i>, defined as the most basic functional unit of an individual; that being their gemstone. Everything a gem is is inside the gemstone; how they work, how they look, how they think, etc. In a way, the gemstone is just an amalgam of all the organelles found inside the cell, the nucleus included. And as for DNA, they technically don't have that since DNA is an organic molecule, it was said that they have their own version of a sort of template of they work, something akin to DNA. </p><p>2. Reproduce: This is also another moot point since even we as viewers don't even know how they reproduce, we know that they do (the Kindergartens), we just don't know <i>how</i> they do it. </p><p>3. Grow and Develop: They do, not just mentally. Continuing the point of number 2, Gems start out as a nucleus (in crystal growth not the organelle) that is buried deep within the earth and from there they stockpile nutrients from the soil for their own development. And once they're ready, they pop out of the ground. Like in organic beings, this stage is where most defects also arise. Whether they came out too early (supposedly like Skinny Jasper) or they came out way too late (like Amethyst), they deviate from what is considered the normal attributes of a gem. </p><p>4-5. Use energy-Have a need for resources and energy: In a way they do, again continuing from number 3, the gems as they develop they stock pile nutrients and supposedly energy in their time underground for future use. As to how they use the nutrients gathered to become usable energy, we still don't know. </p><p>6. Respond to stimuli: Yes, they also have sentience having knowledge in some areas that are way above that of a human's understanding and a sense of autonomy. </p><p>Also, I wouldn't place them on the same levels as virus as those are still not understood quite well. They are considered as a life form due to it having genetic material, being able to reproduce (once inside a host cell), and evolve (via natural selection) but they also lack some aspects of what we understand of what life is. </p> </i></div>
<p>u must be smart, or u searshed it up idrk </p><p>good point btw </p>
(Edited by Youssef zenox)