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Posted by Anne Rind on August 17, 19100 at 02:19:57:
In Reply to: Jaynes and Genesis agree! posted by Bruce on August 17, 19100 at 01:06:53:
:
: So Bishop Usher and the book of Genesis are right! "Humans" did originate very recently!
: Maybe Adam and Eve were the first "conscious" beings! Jaynes comes out in support of the Bible!
I suppose this thesis could be considered correct as long as the creation myth of the Bible is recognized as a loose metaphor for the development of consciousness. By that reasoning, all creation myths from all religions are equally correct as they are equally metaphorical.
There is actually some strength in this position (providing that context is maintained). Recall that Adam and Eve, upon eating the forbidden fruit, had their "eyes opened". They became conscious. Unlike the other animals in the garden (except the serpent), they were no longer automatic and could tell right from wrong.
Much of Jaynes' support comes from the Bible as well as all major literature produced between 5,000-2,000 years ago.
The most interesting part of the Genesis story is the fact that Adam and Eve were not cast out of the garden for disobeying God, but because God was afraid that they would grow in power and eventually become his equal as immortals.
Here is chapter 3 of the book of Genesis from the Online King James Bible:
http://www.genesis.net.au/reference/bible/kjv/genesis/
3:1Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
3:2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3:3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
3:4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
3:5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
3:7And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were ; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
3:8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
3:9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
3:10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was ; and I hid myself.
3:11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast ? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
3:12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
3:13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
3:14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
3:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
3:16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
3:17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
3:18Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
3:19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
3:20And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
3:21Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
3:22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
In case anyone missed that, here are God's words again:
BEHOLD, THE MAN IS BECOME AS ONE OF US, TO KNOW GOOD AND EVIL: AND NOW, LEST HE PUT FORTH HIS HAND, AND TAKE ALSO OF THE TREE OF LIFE, AND EAT, AND LIVE FOR EVER:
3:23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
3:24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.