The Bibles Knowledge Ethics, And Nano-ethics, i end by comparing nano-ethics withPlato

In 2:17 of the Bible's(i'm assuming everybody knows what Bible I'm talking about!), "God" tells Adam to not eat of the tree of life; otherwise, he will know things, good and evil, and become mortal. Then, chapter three of
Genesis has the Serpent tricking Adam's wife, Eve, into eating of the tree of life, and the chapter has some creative mythological explanations of how human female birth is painfull and how the Serpent got to be the way it is.

I've seen worse theorizing quite honestly, but it is the idea of becoming conscious of knowledge and good/evil that I'm interested here. After Jericho as far as we can tell its being the first settled agricultural community - or, certainly the most succesfull of the first settled agricultural communities, Civilization as defined by agricultural living spread up and down from Jericho in the Egytian and Hittite empires, and then further east to the Babylonian and Persian empires. When the Bible was written, civilizations had already come and gone; dark ages had already come and gone; mysterious ruins already dotted the landscape; knowledge had already been lost of bygone eras of human history; they didn't even know Jericho was the first agricultural ruins back then. The ideas that mankind was fallable was already in the air when the Bible was written - that civilization has social problems.

And then, there was knowledge. Mankind noticed over the thousands of years of civilization already that knowledge was unique amongst the living things of the world; it's what separated us from them - but, at what price? They knew that words can sometimes hurt or help adversaries; you were not allowed to utter the word of god in some cultures. They didn't know whether they wanted knowledge or not; sometimes it helped them, sometimes it didn't because either they didn't make up the knowledge right, or somebody else came up with better knowledge; throughout the bible, they demonize it at one time and ask for it sometime later.

I'm seeing much the same with the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology folks. I mean even Plato had backwards notions of knowledge and how it relates to the human condition. These guys, Bill Joy and his followers, sound as mixed up like astrology and alchemy is; and, like Plato, they seek to do things with 'straightedge and compass' only. Or, like Aristotle, his physics is all wrong; like Aristotles 'four element' physics, CRN's understanding of ethics and science are all 'crystal spheres.' I can't claim to be the Newton of social-psychology, but I'd claim comparison to Democritus over Aristotle/Plato.

Hi Flashgordon,
Perhaps you should change your name to Slashgordon, because a bit more thought should have gone into your post.
Your Quote:
“In 2:17 of the Bible's(i'm assuming everybody knows what Bible I'm talking about!), "God" tells Adam to not eat of the tree of life; otherwise, he will know things, good and evil, and become mortal.”

There is only one Bible … and it is in two parts … to most the King James edition is the only valid version.
Again the to most the Bible is the word of God … unfortunately there is no explanation to go with the text … so we do not know the mind of God.
Some people read and believe the text as a lawyer would reading a contract … only what is stated ‘is in’ what might be implied ‘is not in’ … though on the other hand some pick and mix.
Also have you noticed how chapter 1 differs from chapter 2?
I know you mean Genesis 2:17 … but not everyone will.
It was the tree of ‘knowledge of good and evil’
If you read verse 17 again it states that they will die that day … also they were already mortal they had to eat off the tree of ‘life’ to live for ever (Gen 3:22).
Your quote:
“I've seen worse theorizing quite honestly”
You do not show full understanding of Genesis … why should we have faith in what else you have to say?

You best bet is not address what you do not fully understand … and just state your point.
Your quote:
“After Jericho as far as we can tell its being the first settled agricultural community - or, certainly the most succesfull of the first settled agricultural communities, Civilization as defined by agricultural living spread up and down from Jericho in the Egytian and Hittite empires, and then further east to the Babylonian and Persian empires.”

Here you go again … what about the Garden being the first civilization? … what about the Sumerians?

Your quote:
“The ideas that mankind was fallable was already in the air when the Bible was written - that civilization has social problems.”

God made man … and he did not make them perfect … why?
Also why would God blame Adam and Eve for being imperfect … He made them?
And why blame us ... who have descended from non-humans ... where the first born was a murderer?

Finally, the rest of your post was gibberish … what is your qualm?

Cheers

Janus

Hawking has talked about the end of science. I say give it a million years.

MITCH RAEMSCH -- LIGHT LOVE --