A good summary, Ethan. I submit the concept of Net Future Usefulness. This is a qualitative ratio of the persistence of a thing's contribution to its own future environment or offspring, vs the amount of resources it consumes. In other words, the last of the four attributes of Life (reproduction) and the synergy of that useful work with the environment. It may also apply to quantum existence, with Life showing a more responsive/proactive existence, even if seemingly more fragile due to complexity, it is also agile (antifragile) due to its ability to accumulate more information than a particle.