but animals are also called "living" souls -- Genesis 1:24 for example. nephesh chayah, exactly the same Hebrew words that describe man in Genesis 2:7. the same argument that shows animals are souls proves they are living -- having the very same "breath of life" in them, Genesis 7:22 . . ?
i thought, the only difference in how Genesis describes us, is being made after the image of God. that's not said of the other creatures -- and plants are not described as souls, as they are, and we are.