Are viruses real?

Are Viruses Real?

SARS, Influenza, HIV, Ebola, and the common cold. These are all types of viruses, but what is a virus. According to dictionary.com a virus is an ultramicroscopic, metabolically inert, infectious agent that replicates only within the cells of living hosts, mainly bacteria, plants, and animals: composed of an RNA or DNA core, a protein coat, and, in more complex types, a surrounding envelope. When you read this definition it seems like a pretty well rounded answer; but what it doesn’t tell you is about the controversy about the virus. The controversy is whether or not a virus is living or not.
The reason why this brings up so much debate is because viruses only have some of the eight required characteristic it needs to be living. My stance is that I believe a virus is non-living. I mainly believe this for the simple reason that when you look at a lion it has all eight characteristics to living. It’s made by cells, Acquire and use energy, its homeostasis, it responds to stimuli, it grows and develops, it reproduces, it has DNA, and it evolves. Virusis can only do some of this. Also they can’t reproduce without the help of a host cell this is why I think viruses are Non-Living.