What does it mean to be alive? In this episode of Breaking Math, Autumn and Noah speak with Melanie Challenger, author of Alive, about one of the most profound questions in science and philosophy: how do we define life?

Challenger argues that life is not simply a machine-like process or a bundle of genetic instructions. Living beings are embodied, purposeful agents. From single-celled organisms to sequoia seeds, from animals to human beings, life is marked by an astonishing capacity to work to keep itself alive.

Chapters

08:12 The concept of purpose in living beings

09:14 The scientific view of purpose and agency

11:52 The importance of purpose and meaning in life

13:19 The danger of ignoring organism agency in science

14:34 Living beings as purposeful agents

15:35 Comparing purpos ...