....&...&.                                          .&........
.....&....                                          ..&.......
......&...                                          ...&......
.......&..                                          ....&.....
........&.                                          &....&....
.........&                  ~~$£~~                  &&....&...
..........                ~~$    $~~                .&&....&..
..........              ~~$  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                     ....&.&&..
.........&                                          &.....&&&.
..........                                          &&....&.&&
&.........                                          &&&.....&&
&&........                                          &.&&....&.
&&&.......                                          ..&&&.....