@QwertyCTRL. I saw your reply to my comment on the deleted question from this thread. I asked:

You are saying that intellect and emotion are part of the Atzmus of ants and humans?

You answered: @RabbiKaii Is it not? We know that intellect in its rawest, most abstract form is a function of the נשמה, and the brain’s function is simply a physical manifestation of spiritual thought. Emotion is a bit more complex, but from what I understand, it too can be reduced to a spiritual function. In any case, ants are גוף and נפש without a נשמה, and thus their physical properties define their עצמות.

I would respond that something's atzmut can have its own atzmut. Indeed the sources say that the etzem of the neshama is intellect and emotion. Then it says that the etzem of those is ratzon. Then Chaya, then Yechida, etc.

So, I just want to point out that there is much more to say on this, and there are plenty of sources to refer to. I don't mean to argue one way or the other just point out that it is more complex and there are room for other answers. I recommend once again studying Derech Mitzvotecha Haamanut Elokut, as it deals with all this, and tries to resolve all the opinions, and plenty of clear knowledge is gained from learning it on this very subtle and controversial topic