Re: De Novo Adam

Steve Clark (ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu)
Sun, 10 Dec 1995 19:07:23 -0600

>More support for "de novo Adam" from Alan Hayward, "Creation and Evolution"
>[pp. 195-96]:
>
>"[Re: Genesis 2:7] There appear to be no Biblical grounds for interpreting
>'breath of life' as 'spirituality,' or anything like it. The same phrase
>'breath of life' occurs several times in the story of the Flood and each time
>it is made clear that it is possessed by both man and the animals. Genesis
>uses 'breath of life' to mean 'that which gives physical life to air-breathing
>creatures of all kinds.'

This is not terribly relevant to the theme of this reflector, but it seems
to me that this interpretation (I don't disagree with it) raises certain
problems with the origin of life issue in the abortion debate.

>"If we let the Bible speak for itself there appears to be only one natural way
>to read Genesis 2:7: the verse informs us that God miraculously created Adam
>from non-living matter (though without telling us precisely how he did it).
>The idea of God stamping his image upon a living super-ape can hardly be read
>into Genesis 2:7 without distorting it."

The parenthetical qualifier "(though without telling us precisely how he did
it)" makes it difficult to hold to such a definite opinion as stated in the
last sentence.

Shalom,

Steve
__________________________________________________________________________
Steven S. Clark, Ph.D. Phone: (608) 263-9137
Associate Professor FAX: (608) 263-4226
Dept. of Human Oncology and email: ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu
UW Comprehensive Cancer Ctr
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53792

"Philosophers consistently see the method of science before their eyes,
and are irresistibly tempted to ask and answer questions in the way science
does. This tendency...leads the philosopher into complete darkness."
Ludwig Wittgestein, The Blue Book, 1933
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