.....^~†*& &*†~^.....
....^~†*&§ §&*†~^....
...^~†*&§£ £§&*†~^...
..^~†*&§£@ @£§&*†~^..
.^~†*&§£@# #@£§&*†~^.
..^~†*&§£@ ~~&£~~ @£§&*†~^..
...^~†*&§£ ~~& &~~ £§&*†~^...
....^~†*&§ ~~& 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 *†~^......
.......^~† †~^.......
........^~ ~^........
.........^ ^.........
.......... ..........
.......... ..........