Thanks Lucy, I haven't read Varela. Can you point me to a relevant book or paper? The point I was making was based on Strawson's logic in accepting the reality of experience we must conclude that all things including the ultimates (particles, energy) have experience. He explains our experience emerges from the microexperience of the ultimates as life emerged from non-life. By his argument, non-life must have life in it for it to emerge. That appears to be vitalism.