The idea that earth is a living organism seems to be widely accepted. If this is true, is earth self- aware, or is it a cell- like organism?
Hmmm...

Widely accepted? By the mentally challenged perhaps.

A popular figure-of-speech != science

Rob offers:
The idea that earth is a living organism seems to be widely accepted. If this is true, is earth self- aware, or is it a cell- like organism?
Hmmm...

DA Morgan rep:
By the mentally challenged perhaps.

Well Rob, I happen to be one of the mentally challenged that consider the Earth to be a ?living form of matter? if you will think of it as capable of change. The Earth has had more changes than could possibly be listed for the simple reason that many occurred before recorded history. So what determines a living thing? Movement- we have that. The support of other living things, like cells and secondary life forms- we have that. Like changing size by enlarging- we have done that. Like being in a constant state of evolution- we are that. I would argue for the prospect that the Earth has enlarged from its origins and what we have is a compromise to fit our location in space and not quite what we once were; but no need to upset the media with trivia.

Whether the Earth is a living object is still a viable question?
jjw

Does the Earth respirate?

Does the Earth reproduce itself?

Does the Earth metabolize?

Why call it life? It makes no sense.

TFF Questions:

Does the Earth respirate?
Does the Earth reproduce itself?
Does the Earth metabolize?

Why call it life? It makes no sense.

Rep: Absolutely correct in a literal comparison.

My problem is that I like to think that all things are a form of life and that not all forms of life must contain or conform to all the other forms of life. Your main point, for my thoughts, is the lack of reproduction. We do not have a lot of little Earths circling around us so that is conclusive- in animalistic terms. Is reproduction an essential ingredient of life or just something we are accustomed to? If something was created to exist forever why would the ability to reproduce be required?

Any way, I agree that common usage of ?life? does not apply to Earth we define it.
jjw

How earth reproduces; sends humans off to inhabit other planets