What led to the infamous event of the ‘Fall of Man’ remains a contentious question in the minds of many. Did Adam or Eve eat the apple? Although there is no answer to this question, there are some philosophical and theological debates which provide relevant context to this core event. As asserted by Thomas Aquinas, a renowned theologian, the ‘Fall of Man’, resulting from the consumption of the apple, is a narrative of human disobedience against God’s command.
It is s not entirely clear whether eating the apple was a deliberate act or the result of a momentary lapse in religious faith. Nevertheless, the event is symbolic of the fundamental problem of fallen man, whereby humans demonise their ability to use their rational and intellectual faculties to create a better and more prosperous life for themselves. Consequently, humans become vulnerable to a lack of faith and submission to temptations. In the Christian faith, the apple symbolises the idea of corruption, wherein humans choose to consume that which is not in line with divine will.
Throughout scripture, Adam is largely considered to be the one that ate the apple. However, some prominent medieval theologians such as Thomas Aquinas and Peter of Palude both believe that it was Eve who ate the apple. Affirming their position, Aquinas argues that Eve was the sole influence on adam’s disobedience, hence her actions as primary contributor to the ‘Fall of Man’.
In a controversial analysis of the Judaeo-Christian narrative, there has been the suggestion that Adam and Eve both ate the apple. Acknowledging the consequences of their joint actions, the theoretical explanation emphasizes the idea that Adam and Eve needed to make a collective decision to disobey God in order to eat the apple. Moreover, this choice was largely driven by Eve’s influence on Adam, whereby she listened to the serpent’s temptation and Adam then followed.
So far, the traditional approach to interpreting this event has been from a patriarchal perspective. In a more egalitarian perspective, there is a tendency to view Eve’s actions as an independent entity who consciously knowingly chose to challenge God’s will and by doing so, succumbing to temptation. Interestingly, this is also why some historians believe that Eve is portrayed in a negative light in the underlying narrative, perhaps highlighting women’s condition of being subordinate and vulnerable to patriarchy.
There is no definitive answer to the question of who ate the apple. Nevertheless, all interpretations revolve around the notion of humans seeking knowledge and being tempted by evil, and ultimately giving up their faith due to the power of humans’ own volition. Overviewing the main themes and theories present in this contentious event, most agree that despite some degree of ambiguity, the moral of the story remains that humans should remain faithful to God’s will and never succumb to temptation.
Theological Debates
The theological debate surrounding ‘The Fall of Man’ has been ongoing since ancient times. Early Christian theologians in particular, have used their respective faiths to explicate the event. A common thread amongst these interpretations is that the one who ate the apple should be seen as a representative for humanity’s sins. Therefore, whether Adam or Eve ate the apple is less important than why they did it. On the other hand, some contemporary theologians have suggested that it is important not only to answer who ate the apple, but also why they made such decision.
In the theologies of modern religions, Adam and Eve are usually seen as having equal responsibility for eating the apple. Despite the complexity of the matter, modern theologians remain firm on the idea that God’s perfect plan was disrupted due to a lack of faith, which warranted punishment, from which none are exempt. Ultimately, the act of eating the apple is seen as an example of the problematic power-dynamic between god and humans, whereby humans decide to disobey divine will and pursue their own interests.
Interestingly, the tale of the ‘Fall of Man’ has been told across various other religions. For instance, some Hindu interpretations suggest that eating the apple was a metaphor for the greed for knowledge, which has its roots in the ancestors of humankind. Likewise, many Islamic interpretations of the event link it to failure to abide by God’s commands and disobedience. In the Islamic faith, the story of disobedience is used to remind people of the difficulty in obeying God’s will and the consequences of not doing so.
Therefore, a consensus amongst theologians is that the core meaning of the narrative remains the same regardless of the interpretation. Most agree that faith is the foundation for a righteous and healthy life, and that humans should never waiver from the path of truth.
Psychological Context
From a psychological vantage point, the event of ‘The Fall of Man’ has been largely interpreted as a symbolic struggle between the power of reason and temptation or irrationality. According to Sigmund Freud, Adam’s decision to eat the apple reflects a basic struggle between id, ego and super-ego. In this context, the id represents immediate gratification, the ego searches for a balance between the id and super-ego, and the super-ego refuses any pleasure and cannot be appeased. As shown, these instinctual drives, are all at odds with each other.
The work of Carl Jung has been similarly persuasive in his psychological analysis of the ‘Fall of Man’. Jung argues that the story serves as an example of humans’ need for knowledge and power. He outlines humans’ inevitably destructive cycle of learning and attaining knowledge with power, and later succumbing to many negative forces associated with it. In other words, it is a representation of human fallen nature, where knowledge and power eventually leads to corruption.
The event is also used in psychological literature to describe the process of maturation. Freud reasons that in the prototypical post-lapsarian world, humans very soon learn the moral lesson of not giving in to impulses. The need to discipline one’s own self is intrinsic to a successful upbringing. Therefore, subconsciously, the story of the ‘Fall of Man’ serves as a reminder to all to remain faithful to God and be vigilant over their own influences.
Evolutionary Settlements
Evolutionary psychology seeks to explain the origin of behavioural traits by applying evolutionary theory to the study of human behaviour. Many evolutionary studies now incorporate ‘Adam and Eve’ as a fundamental instance for the overcoming of an initially harmful event in human evolution. It is proposed that the presence of an ‘intelligence gene’ unified Adam and Eve, enabling them to process, understand, and act upon the consequences of their actions. In this way, the story of the apple is a representation of humans’ ability to process and act upon their given natural environment.
The evolutionary take on this event is complemented with the help of genetics. It is suggested that by overcoming their experiences through the shared effort of Adam and Eve, humans evolved into a species capable of controlling their habits and thinking more lucidly. The success of this so-called ‘survival of the fittest’ phenomenon is said to be the cause of humans’ current intellectual capacities. In an evolutionary context, the apple is a source of knowledge, and in turn, a becoming of the advanced ‘human’ species.
The underlying piece of wisdom is not only relevant to the Jewish-Christian world, but is also highly applicable in a more general context. Some research argues that Adam and Eve’s journey serves as a cautionary tale which warns against the dangers faced when the pursuit of knowledge goes unchecked. Essentially, by staying near God’s side, humans are better able to understand their environment in order to stay safe from harm and reap the benefits of knowledge.
Myths and Legends
The question of who ate the apple is so highly contested that it has been used as a central theme in ancient myths and legends for centuries. In Greek mythology, a version of the ‘Fall of Man’ was enacted by Zeus and Pandora, where Pandora’s curiosity was to blame. Similarly, Norse mythology also contains a graphic story of bloodshed which, when combined with certain Christian texts, formulates the classic narrative of disobedience.
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