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