> By this I mean there has to be hard-wired into the organism a trigger that causes it to put into motion the reproductive mechanisms that it has.
Considering that the precursor molecules to the very simplest things maybe called life are themselves self-replicating, and not due to any desire on their part, but just part of the mechanism... it would not be surprisign if early life was equally as prolific and yet as disinterested.
> Viruses, by the way, cannot replicate themselves.
They seem to be quite capable of it.