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What if…?

What if “eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil” was the way a people without science would describe the development of consciousness in a relatively hairless species of ape?

Posted on Sat 17 Sep 05, 6:41 pm

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5 Comments

  1. Comment by Angus • Sun 18 Sep 05, 12:38 am #

    Hmm. It would depend on how rapidly the switchover occurred, I think. Interesting idea!

  2. Comment by Jared • Sun 18 Sep 05, 2:46 am #

    Hmm, most would say that the development of consciousness, in a gradual creation (theistic evolution) interpretation of Genesis, would be more like the impartation of the image of God. The eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would be more closely paralleled humanity’s rebellion against God. Possibly a representation of the way all of humanity rebels against God.

  3. Comment by Nato • Sun 18 Sep 05, 11:25 am #

    Hmm, a baby doesn’t remember gaining consciousness, for the simple reason that memory is primarily a conscious phenomenon, so we can’t remember a time when we didn’t have consciousness. Surely the same logic applies to humans?

    Also, there’s a bit of an assumption there that the thing that sets humans apart is consciousness. I’m not convinced of this, but really should go look up the comparative neurological evidence, cos that might tell us stuff

  4. Comment by Andrew • Sun 18 Sep 05, 1:02 pm #

    I think it’s difficult to say anything until we understand more about what consciousness is. Currently we don’t really have a clue… it ought not to exist by all scientific theory.
    Can it be “developed”?
    Can it occur in degrees?
    Would people notice its occurance?
    Would there be an obvious difference to you if your mother was a hairless ape without consciousness, and you were a hairless ape with consciousness?

    But, at anyrate, I am inclined to highly doubt the idea that the tree of knowledge is derived from the occurance of consciousness. More probably it is representative of technological advancement of socities. (eg Clothes, cultures, customs, cities etc)

  5. Comment by AJ • Wed 21 Sep 05, 10:35 pm #

    What if….. YOU SHUT THE HELL UP AND GET OFF THE INTERNET?! Nice Post Matt.

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