Modified version of Albrecht Dürer's Adam and Eve (1504)
What is the position and role of humans in God's arrangement and understanding of creation? In God's original plan, what is the relation of humans to other creatures (plants, animals, etc). What is the purpose of human life according to God? In this context, what is the proper form of the provisioning process and of economic activity in general? What is supposed to be the proper human food? What is supposed to be the proper food of birds and beasts? What is the meaning of the Garden of Eden? In general, what is a garden? What human activities take place on it? What is the nature and quality of human life in the garden setting? What is the symbolic meaning of the Tree of Life? What about the Tree of Knowledge? Can the prohibition of eating from the Tree of Knowledge (2:17) have any significance in relation to the dietary limits earlier specified by God (1:29)? If so, what then does the "fruit" of the Tree of Knowledge stand for? How does tasting of this forbidden fruit upset the order of creation? What forms of provisioning or economic activity may the harvesting of such a fruit stand for? What is the explicit consequence of disobeying God's command not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge? Why is eating of such a fruit said to lead to the opening of one's eyes and the acquisition of knowledge? What sort of knowledge is being alluded to here? What are good and evil in this context? Are such definitions of good and evil connected to the awareness of different ways of making a living? Why are Adam and Even suddenly ashamed of their nakedness? Why do they feel guilty and exposed? What has changed in their relation to and place in the natural world? What is the significance of their covering themselves first with fig leaves (3:7) and then with animal skins (3:21)? Who made the garments? Where did the skins come from? Is such clothing a form of attempt to regain a lost connection to the creatures of nature? What is the significance of the specific aspects of God's curse on Adam and Eve? Why are they condemned to experience pain in childbirth and to sweat and toil in hardship to be able to eat? Is there significance in the association of pain with productive and reproductive processes? Why has surviving suddenly become painful? What makes it so? What is the meaning of the image of the angel with a flaming sword who stands guard at the entrance of Eden? What are Adam and Eve specifically being barred from? Why is the Tree of Life denied to them? Was it forbidden to them before their transgression? Why is their offense related to the loss of eternal life? How can the concept of eternal life be understood in human and economic terms? How does this situation relate to the general character and purposes of human economic activity, including production, reproduction and the choice of provisioning processes?
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