Tatsuo would argue that the main different between something living and not living is the fact that one is alive, but he can see why philosophers would feel that's too simplistic an explanation. He would also like for someone to try to prove that his dog doesn't have a soul. Because rude.

But he is more or less catching the general gist, especially once they get to the whole Shinto angle of things.

"Ah. Like how some swords in Japan are thought to have souls."

It helps that he's met... two of those...