Function‑First Definition of Life

Life should be defined primarily by functions and organization (information processing, self‑maintenance, goal‑directed behavior) rather than by specific materials or biological substrate. Under this view, sufficiently complex technologies could be considered 'life‑like' if they perform the same functional roles. — If accepted, this framing shifts public debates about AI rights, biosecurity, and regulation by collapsing the categorical wall between 'organic' life and engineered systems.