...,^*&@@#                                          #@@&*^,...
....,^*&@@                                          @@&*^,....
.....,^*&@                                          @&*^,.....
......,^*&                                          &*^,......
.......,^*                                          *^,.......
........,^                  ~~&@~~                  ^,........
.......,^*                ~~&    &~~                *^,.......
......,^*&              ~~&  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                     &*^,......
.......,^*                                          *^,.......
........,^                                          ^,........
.......,^*                                          *^,.......
......,^*&                                          &*^,......
.....,^*&@                                          @&*^,.....