Regarding perpetual motion: I think that motion (and hence energy) is the basic quality of matter, and so all bodies remain in motion, ie, in perpetual motion. I would like to define energy as 'the quality by virtue of which matter always remains in motion'.

Aristotle held the view that a force is required to keep bodies in motion. Newton corrected him and said that once the body is set in motion by a force, there is no need of any force to keep it in motion. The actual situation, I think, is that no force is required at any time; bodies move on their own.

The above concept that energy is a fundamental quality of matter, like mass and volume, is the basis of my alternate approach (whether it may ultimately turn out to be wrong or right).