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Vistas Lifelong Learning
  • Welcome
  • About Vistas
    • About
    • Board of Directors
    • Curriculum Committee
  • Membership
    • Join Vistas
  • Vistas Calendar
  • Courses and Programs
    • Current Courses
    • Book Clubs
    • Course Videos
    • How to Register
    • Past Courses
    • Become a Presenter
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Viruses ... and Life in General

  • Wednesday, November 12, 2025
  • 9:30 AM 12:00 PM 09:30 12:00
  • Google Calendar ICS

Wednesday: November 12, 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon
Bethany Congregational Church
556 N. Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara
VISTAS member price: $20; non-member price $30

Presented by: Bruce Phillips
Most people believe that viruses are the smallest living entity on earth. However, there are difficulties with this notion. First is whether viruses are alive. Years ago, virologists agreed they were. Nowadays, most virologists have changed their minds. Viruses can only replicate by invading and hijacking the cellular machinery of a host organism and cannot reproduce on their own. The second difficulty is that there are several entities capable of reproduction but much smaller and simpler than viruses. Maybe the answer lies in how one defines “life.” The challenge is to understand these various entities and how we conceptualize them.

Viruses
Earlier Event: November 10
The Role of “Favored Minorities” in American Government 2/4
Later Event: November 13
Thursday Nonfiction Book Club