<< 
Absolutely! The problem though is there is just no
appropriate
_general_ word I can find to replace "life" for something
which acts like life but does not replicate...or even, just
reproduce in any way. Perhaps, "metabolic system/entity",
but that doesn't quite do it for me...perhaps just
"operating system?" :) It seems though that there is no
recourse but to carefully separate the concept of "life"
from that of "living organism," the latter being something
that may grow and metabolize in the usual sense, but not
necessarily replicate in the usual sense (i.e., "divide.")
We might say then:

Stardate 2.1 10^4: Capt. Kirk landed on planet X and found
the first Slimelord--the only known living organism where a
single individual entity covered the entire planet. It's
prodigeous growth allowed it to grow to enormass mass and
survive virtually forever as parts of its body die off (this
remarkable metabolism and resultant growth rate allows it to
totally dominate all the other life on the planet which does
reproduce sexually.) Kirk was fortunate to be able to escape
before he and his ship was absorbed by the Slimelord as
food.                                    ...tonyC
 >>


TH
Along these lines, it might be interesting to note
an example that James Lovelock uses to illustrate
his Gaia theory. Just like a tree depends on a small
layer  on the outside for its existence, so
does planet earth depend on a small  layer of
life and living things on its outer edge, for its existence.

Sounds a little like your Slimelord.
---
þ RIMEGate(tm)/RGXPost V1.14 at BBSWORLD * Info{at}bbsworld.com

---
 * RIMEGate(tm)V10.2áÿ* RelayNet(tm) NNTP Gateway * MoonDog BBS
 * RgateImp.MoonDog.BBS at 8/4/04 12:34:44 PM

--- PCBoard (R) v15.3/M 100