Totally NBR: Is a banana alive?

HBirdie · January 2014

We were playing a game at my in-laws house this evening (called Headbandz... a lot like 20 questions where you're trying to figure out what word is on your head), and I asked "Is it alive?" They said yes. Turns out it was a banana. I don't feel like yes is the right answer to that question. Am I crazy? Is fruit alive after it's been picked off of its tree?

sugarkissed · January 2014

Haha... I'm leaning towards no? But I'm really not sure.

CDMay2006 · January 2014

It is not alive, but it is a living thing. Wording is key.

HBirdie · January 2014

CDMay2006 said:

It is not alive, but it is a living thing.

I feel really dumb, but that makes no sense to me!

CDMay2006 · January 2014

Example: A person who has died is not alive (anymore), but they are still a living thing.
While the banana isn't the whole "thing" (just part of the whole organism, the banana plant), I'd say it is a living thing, even though it is no longer alive. Think of it on a cellular level: the cells are cells of a living organism, even if the plant/whatever has died.

HBirdie · January 2014

A dead body is a living thing?

I'm a words girl, not a science girl. This just eludes me. I guess it's been awhile since freshman bio. What you said makes more sense than what they were saying tonight though. Thank you!

CDMay2006 · January 2014

Haha, glad i could sort of help

HBirdie · January 2014

Maybe I'm just a sore loser. Yup, that is definitely it.

Bamgal25 · January 2014

To me, the term "alive" would imply a living person or animal- not a piece of fruit.

CDMay2006 · January 2014

Bamgal25 said:
To me, the term "alive" would imply a living person or animal- not a piece of fruit.

You wouldn't consider a tree to be alive?

Bamgal25 · January 2014

CDMay2006 said:

Bamgal25 said:
To me, the term "alive" would imply a living person or animal- not a piece of fruit.
You wouldn't consider a tree to be alive?

Well yes, plants are alive too. I just wouldn't ever think about a piece of fruit that's been picked being alive. To me it has to do with breathing and/or growing I guess?

princessvespa1 · January 2014

Can it produce energy for cells to function (grow/repair/reproduce)? Then I consider it alive. If it is a piece of picked fruit, it isn't making energy to grow or reproduce, so I no longer consider it alive. But I could see how this could get philosophical.

CDMay2006 · January 2014

Bamgal25 said:

CDMay2006 said:

Bamgal25 said:
To me, the term "alive" would imply a living person or animal- not a piece of fruit.
You wouldn't consider a tree to be alive?
Well yes, plants are alive too. I just wouldn't ever think about a piece of fruit that's been picked being alive. To me it has to do with breathing and/or growing I guess?

ok, good

redfallon · January 2014

While still on the tree, yes.
After it's been picked, no.
For purposes of a game like that, no.

amandalt823 · January 2014

The way I would argue this is that unless that banana is still on the tree, it is not alive. To be living, something has to be actively growing or breathing. A tree is alive until you cut is down, then it is not alive.

I've had a question in Scattergories like this. It was 'does a bee grow?' I was playing with my girlfriends about 15 years ago and the debate still continues!

HBirdie · January 2014

redfallon said:

While still on the tree, yes.
After it's been picked, no.
For purposes of a game like that, no.

Thank you!! I feel like even if somehow it's technically alive (which is obviously not a clear answer one way or the other), they should have told me no. But they insist that they gave the right answer and it was fair. :P

Zmommy2 · January 2014

I would say if it's still on the tree, yes, it's alive like the tree itself.. once picked, no.

NicknShan · January 2014

Yes!! It is alive!! See a good explanation here: https://www.ifst.org/learninghome/helpforteachers/realinsightsindustrycasestudies/freshfruitandvegetables/

Jupiter62 · January 2014

A banana is alive about as much as that hunk of exfoliated skin in the bottom of the shower is alive. Both have cells that are still wiggling around but c'mon. Saying its alive is implying that the banana itself has life when really it is the tree that has life

They just didn't want you to win the game

redfallon · January 2014

Jupiter62 said:
A banana is alive about as much as that hunk of exfoliated skin in the bottom of the shower is alive. Both have cells that are still wiggling around but c'mon. Saying its alive is implying that the banana itself has life when really it is the tree that has life

They just didn't want you to win the game

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Yes exactly!

TexasGirl81 · January 2014

On the dead body thing....I've heard days after dying your nails will still grow, also hair, and you can even urinate! Ahhhhhhh! :-S

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