..&&..&.&.                                          &&..&&&&&&
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.&.&..&.&.                                          .&.&..&&&&
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.&.&.&&.&.                  ~~%#~~                  .&.&.&.&.&
.&.&..&.&.                ~~%    %~~                .&.&.&.&.&
.&.&.&&.&.              ~~%  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                     .&.&.&.&.&
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