The majority held that the words "manufacture" and "composition of matter" are not sufficiently broad to include a higher life form such as the oncomouse. The court is of the opinion that "manufacture" denotes "a non-living mechanistic product or process" and does not imply a conscious, sentient living creature. The majority determined that the meaning of "composition of matter" can be ascertained by reference to the meaning of the words or phrases associated with them and thus is best read as not including higher life forms. The majority also referred to the Oxford English Dictionary definition of "composition" which is "a substance or preparation formed by combination or mixture of various ingredients" and concluded that the oncomouse cannot be understood in such terms. They also emphasized that higher life forms have unique qualities and characteristics that transcend the particular genetic matter of which they are composed.