..#..#..#.                                          .###....#.
.##.##.##.                                          #..#...##.
#.##.##.#.                                          #.##..#.#.
##.##.###.                                          ##.#.#####
.##.##..#.                                          .####.....
#.##.#.##.                  ~~$#~~                  #...#.....
##.####.#.                ~~$    $~~                #..##....#
.##...####              ~~$  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                     #..#.###.#
.#...#..##                                          #.###..###
##..##.#.#                                          ##..#.#..#
.#.#.####.                                          .#.####.#.
#####...#.                                          ###...###.
....#..###                                          ..#..#..##