Lamh Foistenach Abu!Lamh Foistenach Abu!I hate to ruin his fun, but it’s laymen translating biology textbooks into “common English” who are at fault. “Animal” was, initially, an adjective describing a type of soul. “Rational” souls were capable of moral judgment, and hence both needing of and capable of redemption. “Animal” souls were those guided on instinct. Hence, “animals” are those with an animal soul that is not tempered by a rational soul. That’s why calling someone an animal meant he was savage and amoral. But of course, that was meant only in a relative sense, or such a person wouldn’t need salvation. Now, if his wife is an animal, that’s something he should keep private.
Oh, and by the way, a whale’s a fish. Sure, it’s not part of the phylogenic taxon “pisces,” but then again, neither are shellfish, jellyfish, starfish, cuttlefish, or most other kinds of “fish.”