-> the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death
So not consciousness, many things are alive that I doubt anyone would attribute consciousness to
- Self generated growth
- Reproduction
- some kind of motion/activity
- Change
Hence my earlier statement that the basis for this conversation is very different if the question is
- Is there life elsewhere in the universe = absolutely, mathematically impossible that there isn't
The problem is it might all be bacteria/moss/simple organisms or even normal animals with no evolution of the level of intelligence required for leaving a planet.