,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~                                          ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~\                                          \~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~\*                                          *\~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~\*&                  ~~&@~~                  &*\~,,,,,,
,,,,,~\*&&                ~~&    &~~                &&*\~,,,,,
,,,,~\*&&@              ~~&  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                     ##@&&*\~,,
,,,~\*&&@#                                          #@&&*\~,,,
,,,,~\*&&@                                          @&&*\~,,,,
,,,,,~\*&&                                          &&*\~,,,,,
,,,,,,~\*&                                          &*\~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~\*                                          *\~,,,,,,,