It's... ALIVE!!

[Received]

Above I interpreting functioning as either/or, and I'm beginning to think that's wrong. Functioning is also qualitative. Functioning optimally is different than functioning minimally. For the human being this means the integration of all sorts of factors: whatever maximizes life, as simple as healthy psychology, as far as dietary and physical exercise.

 

[Robbie_James_Francis]

Mrs Nerg, of course...

Movement
Respiration
Senses
Nutrition (taking of)
Excretion
Reproduction
Growth

You're not telling me science gets more complicated after primary school?

 

[Received]

I like how wikipedia defines life: "Life is a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects, i.e. non-life, and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally." Each term here is a specification of functioning. I think you can get to the heart by saying, "life is functioning."