1: Can we assume that there could be things rightfully called 'life', which are not 'biological', in the sense that they are not organized into living cells, don't have DNA, don't use the same chemical processes, and perhaps don't use chemical processes at all?
2: If so, how do we define what is alive and what is not, when being biological or not is irrelevant?
(Some examples to work with: Mechanical 'imitations' of life, Simulated (software only) life, fire, extraterrestrial life. (Of the four here, 1 is strictly theoretical, 2 are mostly theoretical, and 1 is demonstrably real.)
2: If so, how do we define what is alive and what is not, when being biological or not is irrelevant?
(Some examples to work with: Mechanical 'imitations' of life, Simulated (software only) life, fire, extraterrestrial life. (Of the four here, 1 is strictly theoretical, 2 are mostly theoretical, and 1 is demonstrably real.)
