Computer Viruses--A Form of Artificial Life?

There has been considerable interest in computer viruses since they rst appeared in 1981, and especially in the past few years as they have reached epidemic numbers in many personal computer environments. Viruses have been written about as a security problem, as a social problem, and as a possible means of performing useful tasks in a distributed manner. However, only recently have some scientists begun to ask if computer viruses are not a form of articial life|a self-replicating organism. Simply because computer viruses do not exist as organic molecules may not be sucient reason to dismiss the classication of this form of \vandalware" as a lifeform. This paper begins with a description of how computer viruses operate, and the various ways simple viruses are structured. It then examines how viruses meet properties associated with life by researchers in the area of articial life and self-organizing systems. This paper argues the author's view that computer viruses meeting the denition probably does not mean that they represent life, but rather that the denition is decient.