Are you saying that the Ring is ALIVE!?!?!? Come now my good dwarf we are beings of reason and science! *scoff* *scoff*
Gandalph told Frodo the Ring had a will of it's own, and will seek to return to its master...I'm not sure if it was alive per se, but Sauron put a portion of his spirit/being/essence into the ring...that's why he wouldn't truly die until until the Ring was destroyed...
Again, I don't have access to the text here at work, so if somebody could correct me if I'm wrong...