Why is survival or reproduction so important? Isn't itcircular reasoning for life to evolve to support life? What pressure is there to support life and diversity in the first place? If all organisms on earth died, can it all be recover back to where we are now?

I've never understood the initial selective pressure for organic systems to have reproductive properties, or survival/supporting traits up until reproduction. I understand why they exist within an active biosphere, but what about beforehand? Is life one big feedback loop?