Why organisms reproduce?

[Mohit Pandey]

Hello to all!
There is an interesting question in my textbook . It is obvious that we notice organisms because they reproduce. If there were to be only one, non reproducing organisms member of a particular kind, it is doubtful that we would have noticed its existence.
Let us ask a basic question-why do organism reproduce? After all, reproduction is not necessary to maintain the life of an individual organism, unlike the essential life processes as nutrition. On the other hand, if an individual organism is going to create more individuals, a lot of its energy will be spent in the process. So why should an organism waste energy on a process it does not need to stay alive?
Let us discuss the possible answers.

[Ganoderma]

my personal opinion is this. a sexual beings seem to be more prone to bad things happening, and may not adapt as fast (not taking into account many asexual things divide very fast). on a generation scale, not a time scale.

i think that if you have 2 separate sets of dna coming together "reproducing" you will have more traits that are more stable or "hardy" to the environment. if that makes any sense....

[freeztar]

A very good question Mohit!

The simplest answer, I suppose, would be instinct.

One must also think about "the chicken and the egg" and which came first. The organism must have come about from reproduction of another organism (unless we're talking about the first organism). So it makes sense that the organism continues with tradition because otherwise it would never have come to be.

Reproduction also offers a way for a species to extend its own mortality. I might die tomorrow, but my child will live on and though he is not me, he is half me.

I'm sure others will come along with better explanations, this is just off the top of my head...

[questor]

Organisms reproduce because they are directed to do so by genes. It is not correct to think that your cells do not renew themselves on a regular basis. It is obvious that your body has created new cells because you are larger now than when you were born. It is the job of cells to repair, maintain, replicate, and perform their own unique function. It is only the brain cells that do not replicate. Google ''human cell function''

[Mohit Pandey]

First of all, thanks to all.

Originally Posted by freeztar

A very good question Mohit!

The simplest answer, I suppose, would be instinct.

One must also think about "the chicken and the egg" and which came first. The organism must have come about from reproduction of another organism (unless we're talking about the first organism).

I think egg came first and egg came from an organism which had resemblance to the chicken species. Moreover it means that small variations(changes) in DNA resulted in the formation of chicken species. So that change will first occur in the egg.

Originally Posted by questor

Organisms reproduce because they are directed to do so by genes. It is not correct to think that your cells do not renew themselves on a regular basis. ...... It is the job of cells to repair, maintain, replicate, and perform their own unique function.

OK. Let it be the function of a cell. But on a long run, functions of cells that are useless to their survival should be eliminted by the process of natural selection and evolution, shouldn't it be?

Originally Posted by Ganoderma

i think that if you ....................... stable or "hardy" to the environment. if that makes any sense....

Sorry, it didn't make sense to me. The question is not on sexual and asexual reproduction.

[questor]

If you want to get all your questions answered, it is simple.. Google it! You will learn all about cell activity and the info will be accurate.

[Ganoderma]

ahh i gotcha...perhaps one could view reproduction as cell renewal...on a macroscopic level. all cells die, and all beings that have them die, so without some kind of reproduction our bodies just get bad and regenerating and regrowing everything. like a new start, or reset button.

[Eclogite]

Reproduction affords the opportunity to produce offspring that are more fit for the current environment than there parents. So natural selection favours such behaviour....... naturally.

[Mohit Pandey]

Originally Posted by questor

If you want to get all your questions answered, it is simple.. Google it! You will learn all about cell activity and the info will be accurate.

Thank you for your kind advice. Here there are the links suggested by you. Now find my answer as I couldn't find one.
1.why organism reproduce - Google Search
2. human cell function - Google Search

Here we all are in a friendly discussion,aren't we?
Ganoderma and Eclogite! I am pondering over your suggestion.

[questor]

Google ''cellular reproduction''. If you still have a question, let me know. Questor