What is the most important biological function?

[Adrian Moir]

The human body has been defined as being a system, and a system is defined as being multiple mechanisms working together as a complex whole.
But what is the biological purpose to life if the total number of biological mechanisms must be in order for an organism to be complete as a complex whole from the format of its DNA instruction set?
Is it to ingest food all day long like a caterpillar? Or should humans be sleeping all day like a sloth?

The number one biological function that is required for any organism to stay alive is breathing, because this not only provides the organism with oxygen for metabolism but also to equalise the atmospheric pressures surrounding the organism as well.
Which means that an organism has the sole biological purpose to keep breathing and every biological function apart from this is in support of this main function.

And if there's one thing that accelerates the decay of organic matter, it would be oxygen, as organic matter will oxidize if left out in the open atmosphere and the process of equalising the pressure within an organism's cell via the cell wall needs to be accounted for before a cell could ever form under atmospheric pressure.
Life began according to the scriptures by the act of God breathing life into man, and not just by God creating him from the dust.
Which means that life is defined as breathing and not just as a blob of chemicals.

Genesis 2:7
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 

[Unqualified]

The Bible says, the life is in the blood.

 

[BobRyan]

The number one biological function that is required for any organism to stay alive is breathing, because this not only provides the organism with oxygen for metabolism but also to equalise the atmospheric pressures surrounding the organism as well.
Which means that an organism has the sole biological purpose to keep breathing

Of course babies in the womb do not use their lungs at all but still have oxygenated blood circulating as their heart pumps it to their entire body. So one could argue that heart pumping is very important.

Life began according to the scriptures by the act of God breathing life into man, and not just by God creating him from the dust.
Which means that life is defined as breathing and not just as a blob of chemicals.

Genesis 2:7
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

When a person gets the breath knocked out of them or stops breathing due to severe trauma , or almost drowning they are not dead nor do we hold a funeral for them as long as they can start back up minutes hours or weeks later when they get off the respirator.

The breath of God was more than just starting the lungs - it was "The breath of life" - a life giving principle that went into every cell in the body instantly making "it" alive".

You can irradiate a single cell and it will be dead but it has the exact same chemical compounds as it had before...only it is dead.

 

[com7fy8]

The breathing can't continue unless a lot of other things are in place.

We need our immune system.

Oh yes . . . have you studied what sleep really does, as a function of the body? It is not only resting.

 

[Lost4words]

Taking a pee is, for me, the most important function! Woof!

 

[ChetSinger]

We are God's handiwork even before we breathe:

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. Psalms 139:13​

 

[ViaCrucis]

The human body has been defined as being a system, and a system is defined as being multiple mechanisms working together as a complex whole.
But what is the biological purpose to life if the total number of biological mechanisms must be in order for an organism to be complete as a complex whole from the format of its DNA instruction set?
Is it to ingest food all day long like a caterpillar? Or should humans be sleeping all day like a sloth?

The number one biological function that is required for any organism to stay alive is breathing, because this not only provides the organism with oxygen for metabolism but also to equalise the atmospheric pressures surrounding the organism as well.
Which means that an organism has the sole biological purpose to keep breathing and every biological function apart from this is in support of this main function.

And if there's one thing that accelerates the decay of organic matter, it would be oxygen, as organic matter will oxidize if left out in the open atmosphere and the process of equalising the pressure within an organism's cell via the cell wall needs to be accounted for before a cell could ever form under atmospheric pressure.
Life began according to the scriptures by the act of God breathing life into man, and not just by God creating him from the dust.
Which means that life is defined as breathing and not just as a blob of chemicals.

Genesis 2:7
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Except not all forms of life utilize oxygen, that is, not all organisms use aerobic respiration, there are anaerobic organisms. For example methanogenic organisms, these are unicelluar organisms which reduce carbon dioxide and produce methane as a by-product. These are the organisms responsible for swamp gas, as they thrive in hypoxic and anoxic environments--and, indeed, oxygen is often fatal even in trace amounts to these organisms.

So, an obvious no on that premise.

The essential biological function of every organisms is "be fruitful and multiply". The core defining feature of biological life, as we have observed it, is the passing on of genetic material. I.e. reproduction. All forms of life have, as the the core function, the propagation of the species. Whether we are talking about extremely "simplistic" forms as well as very "complicated" forms of life. From bacteria to yeast to dogs to dinosaurs all life's drive is, in essence, life itself. The "goal" of life is to be alive.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[The Liturgist]

I think the most important biological function is not cluttering up Denomination Specific Theology with threads that are not denomination specific, and after that, reproduction, as @ViaCrucis correctly asserts.