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