The Great Chain of Being
The Great Chain of Being is a ranking of all known things, from spirit to matter. Spirits are self-aware, able to think, and able to grow, whereas matter is typically inanimate. Because of this, the Great Chain of Being is sometimes also known as the Ladder of Intellect.
The Great Chain of Being, pictured to the left, states that God is the most spiritual and most intelligent of all entities. Stone, being the lowest on the ladder, is considered pure matter and free of intellect.
By many accounts, some of these levels are further divided. Beast, plant, and stone have all been broken down into sub-categories in texts. However, the human level is by far the most expanded upon. Humans are divided by the medieval feudal system, class, and prejudices held against them during the medieval period.
The image to the right shows another representation of the Great Chain of Being. God, being at the top, is the most spiritual, while rock, at the bottom, is the least. Each level represents a degree of spirituality. In this case, the beasts are subdivided into birds, fish, and land animals.