Re: Special Creation

Interesting idea but how do you know that is true? How do you know that animals are not self aware? Or for Moorad how do you know that animals are not aware of imminent death?

How do you suppose you would test for these things? Chimpanzees and dolphins have been shown that they are able to recognize themselves in a mirror. Perhaps this is not self awareness in the sense that you are using the term, but perhaps your use of the term is not testable.
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: RFaussette@aol.com
  To: asa@calvin.edu
  Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2006 1:04 PM
  Subject: Re: Special Creation

  In a message dated 3/4/2006 12:00:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, jack syme writes:
    No special creation in the physical sense. But there has to be something unique about mankind, something that seperates us from animals; the "imagio dei."
  His reason... his knowledge that there is good and evil.

  "The divine element in mankind's creation explains why, in obvious distinction from the animals, the human race has self consciousness and reason. It also explains why, in Babylonian belief, men live on after death as spirits or shades in the Netherworld."

  From the introduction to Andrew George's translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh.

  Enkidu is imbued with reason after he is seduced by Shamhat.

  This is also the core of the allegory of Adam and Eve. What is unique about man is man's self consciousness and reason, his ontology.

  rich faussette
Received on Sat Mar 4 13:45:55 2006