Tree of Knowledge
\nIn the
Bible's Book of Genesis, the
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was the tree in the middle of the
Garden of Eden from which
God forbade
Adam and Eve to eat. The other tree in the middle of the garden was the
Tree of Life. Nothing is said in Genisis about whether or not they were permitted to eat from the tree of life. When Adam and Eve ate the
forbidden fruit from the tree, after being tempted by a serpent, they became knowledgeable of their
sin, and were punished by God for their disobedience by being banished from the garden and forced to survive through
agriculture "by the sweat of [their] brow". Being banished from Eden meant they would lose access to the tree of life and therefore were condemned to die. "
The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (NIV)
Rationalist interpretation of story related in Genesis
Knowledge of good and evil or simply good and bad refers to the recollection of a memory with an implied judgment. This is a natural process for neurological systems (humans and animals) to make to avoid pain or gain pleasure. However the extensive recollection and teaching such as by the use of a book, which could be called a fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, clearly distinguishes this form of consciousness from the simple awareness of the animal kingdom. The human being begins to make choices that even if they include pain are chosen and considered beneficial.
The process of maturation occurring in the incidents around the tree describes, in an abstract way, the splitting of the human consciousness into the limited context of conscious thought and the underlying all aware subconsciousness. It also implies the existence of an entheogen that lets humans experience a God-like state of oneness.
Depictions of story
The Tree of Knowledge is commonly portrayed in art and literature as an apple tree, for lack of a more specific description. Some trace this to a Latin pun between malus (apple) and malum (evil).
Related information
According to a Christian legend, the Tree of Knowledge was the source of wood for the True Cross.
See also: Original sin
