Wildlife biologist here, and I have to concur with just about all of this.

I think we generally look at a viruses and consider them alive but just barely. While prions are not because they (proteins) are what is considered one of the building blocks for life. Self replication being one of the major criteria we’d look for. We look at a very macro level of life but our education and work has a strong overlap down here a well.

This is such a well written post! Gets the point id like to make across in a much better way than I could