Rough draft: Perhaps the higher level is underdetermined and acts in a manner that is, from the perspective of the lawfulness of the lower level, indeterminate in a manner analogous to how the digits in pi seem undetermined to one who is unaware of what they represent. But at the higher level, they act in a manner that is determined, albeit in a manner that is conditioned by circumstances. And these determinations are best understood in terms of seeking a kind of equilibrium/goal. The highest level would be that of a rational being that apprehends the good as such, and is, in virtue of its determination to seek this goal, undetermined...free.
How about defining it as an instance of functional complexity? And treating the list of properties as following necessarily from this definition? Okay, this is very diamond-in-the-rough (or perhaps zirconium...) but here goes my thoughts on the matter: (Complexity) Many diverse parts (functional) acting for the sake of the whole I think I need to add something like "not as the instrument of another" or something like that. Given that they act together as one whole and given entropy, etc., the organism will need to posses more order than its surroundings (homeostasis). It will therefore need to take in energy (nutrition), which it will use to sustain its readiness to interact with its environment so as to preserve its own being (homeostasis again?), but which will eventually break down (death), so that in order for that life form to continue it will need to duplicate itself (reproduction), which, upon occurring, will involve both development (growth) to maturity and...
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