Humanities

Life

The state that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, manifested by growth, metabolism, reproduction, and adaptation. It includes the course of existence, the sum of experiences, the mode of existing, or the fact of being. Over the centuries inquiries into the nature of life have crossed the boundaries from philosophy to biology, forensic medicine, anthropology, etc., in creative as well as scientific literature. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed; Dr. James H. Cassedy, NLM History of Medicine Division)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The state that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, manifested by growth, metabolism, reproduction, and adaptation. It includes the course of existence, the sum of experiences, the mode of existing, or the fact of being. Over the centuries inquiries into the nature of life have crossed the boundaries from philosophy to biology, forensic medicine, anthropology, etc., in creative as well as scientific literature. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed; Dr. James H. Cassedy, NLM History of Medicine Division)

MeSH Record

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MeSH Record

History Note

97

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Philosophy (1966-1996)
  • Philosophy, Medical (1966-1996)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. K01w.752w.400w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Life. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D019369. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D019369
  2. Life. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life
  3. Life. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3