So, is a virus alive like bacteria and germs, or are they something different? There are a variety of opinions. Some scientists think that virus are basically a chemistry set, that is, they don’t reproduce like living creatures. Living beings consume, process, expend energy and reproduce. A virus cannot reproduce on its own like the process of cell division in mitosis. As Gregory the Great (540–604) says, ‘because man has existence (esse) in common with stones, life with trees, and understanding (discernere) with angels, …Lewis, C. S.. The Discarded Image . Where do we all fit into the big picture? Music arranged and performed by Russ Ronnebaum