...&.&&.&.                                          &.&&&.&.&.
...&&&.&&&                                          &&&..&&&&&
&..&..&&..                                          &..&.&....
&&.&&.&.&.                                          &&.&&&&...
&.&&.&&&&&                                          &.&&...&..
&&&.&&....                  ==&¶==                  &&&.&..&&.
&..&&.&...                ==&    &==                ...&&&.&.&
.&.&.&&&..              ==&  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                     ..&....&&.
&&.....&&.                                          &.&&...&.&
..&....&.&                                          &&&.&..&&&
&.&&...&&&                                          ...&&&.&..
&&&.&..&..                                          &..&..&&&.
&..&&&.&&.                                          &&.&&.&..&