..~-^%$&##                                          ##&$%^-~..
...~-^%$&#                                          #&$%^-~...
....~-^%$&                                          &$%^-~....
.....~-^%$                                          $%^-~.....
......~-^%                                          %^-~......
.......~-^                  --$#--                  ^-~.......
........~-                --$    $--                -~........
.........~              --$  life  $--              ~.........
..........                --$    $--                ..........
..........                  --#$--                  ..........
..........                                          ..........
.......... -  - $ a multitude  of definitions $ - - ..........
.......... -   $   does    not   help.   we   $   - ..........
.........~ $     can     say     "life     is     $ ~.........
........~- -   $   what    we    are,   and   $   - -~........
.......~-^ -  -  $  what  things  like  us  $  -  - ^-~.......
......~-^% -   $    are",   but   then   we   $   - %^-~......
.....~-^%$ $    must    also    define    what    $ $%^-~.....
....~-^%$& -  $  "things  like  us"  actually  $  - &$%^-~....
...~-^%$&# -  -  $  entails, how it  should  $ -  - #&$%^-~...
..~-^%$&## -   $  be   measured,   who   or   $   - ##&$%^-~..
.~-^%$&### $    what    is    the    arbiter,     $ ###&$%^-~.
..~-^%$&## -  $   and   so   instead   there  $   - ##&$%^-~..
...~-^%$&# -    -   $   is   this   internationally #&$%^-~...
....~-^%$& sanctioned      list     $      -      - &$%^-~....
.....~-^%$ -  - -  -  $  of  criteria  $  -  - -  - $%^-~.....
......~-^%                                          %^-~......
.......~-^ - life must produce or consume milk      ^-~.......
........~- - life must have a beginning and an end  -~........
.........~ - life can have dreams and can interact  ~.........
.......... - life can steal                         ..........
.......... - life can be cursed                     ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
.........~                                          ~.........
........~-                                          -~........