B can be A, without A being B ;)

I had this exact example in mind tho FWIW. It is an ongoing research topic whether or not viruses are life, but the analogies/similarity are overall worth noting.

Maybe on a biosphere level, or even on a more micro ecosphere level, all sentient systems really exhibit the same properties as a virus in the local context, for that system, even if entities in that system do not have the consciousness to be able to make that determination. Certainly our effect on the planet Earth since the Industrial Era should make it worth it to endeavour this analysis!