The Sabba HaKadosh (Z"YA) of Slonim cites the 4 categories of physical things in the world:

Domem- Inanimate- stones, etc.
Tzomeich- Growing- plants, etc.
Chai- Alive- animals
Medaber- Speaker- people

His added insight to this is that we have to travel up these four levels in our connection with G-d.

We start on the flat ground, with foundational faith.
We grow from there, expanding on the basics of faith.
Then our faith becomes something alive.
The highest is when our faith becomes a conversation.