Full Idea
The genus of plants, whilst it is devoid of life compared with an animal, is endowed with life as compared with other corporeal entities. In the sea there are certain objects which one would be at a loss to determine whether they be animal or vegetable.
Gist of Idea
Plants have far less life than animals, but more life than other corporeal entities
Source
Aristotle (The History of Animals [c.344 BCE], 588b09)
Book Reference
Aristotle: 'The Basic Works of Aristotle', ed/tr. McKeon,Richard [Modern Library Classics 2001], p.635
A Reaction
It seems that Aristotle takes life to come in degrees, assessed by the amount of physical vitality observed. This seems to make lambs more alive than sheep, which isn't very plausible. This is part of his 'gradualist' view of nature.
Related Idea
Idea 23301 There is a gradual proceeding from the inanimate to animals, with no clear borderlines [Aristotle]