The Fall in Genesis is a Symbolic Definition of Death | Jonathan Pageau

Summary

The script delves into the concept of death through the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve, emphasizing the transition from unity to multiplicity. It explains death as the loss of a unifying purpose, applying this to various levels of reality, including the physical, social, and ontological. The speaker uses the metaphor of dust to illustrate the process of becoming a living being and the subsequent disintegration upon death. The fall from grace symbolizes the beginning of separation, protection, and the loss of unity, highlighting the multifaceted nature of death beyond the physical.

Takeaways

• 📜 The script discusses the concept of death as a return to dust, referencing the creation narrative where God breathes life into dust.
• 🌟 It emphasizes that death is not just physical but applies to every ontological level, including relationships and societies.
• 🔍 The speaker suggests that the true understanding of death is often elusive and requires deeper exploration of its meaning.
• 💨 The difference between life and death is described as the difference between unity with purpose and multiplicity without unity.
• 🦴 The script uses the metaphor of dust to explain the transition from life to death, where dust represents disassociated elements without purpose.
• 🤲 God's act of gathering dust and infusing it with spirit is presented as the creation of life, highlighting the importance of unity and purpose.
• 🍃 The process of decomposition after death is likened to the loss of the unifying spirit, leading to the dispersion of elements.
• 🏥 Analogies are made to sickness and old age as processes akin to death, where the body's ability to move towards its purpose is compromised.
• 🌱 The script also extends the concept of death to non-physical entities like friendships, empires, and nations, where the unifying principle is lost.
• 🛡️ The need for protection, such as hiding secrets or defending against threats, is presented as a sign of separation and loss of unity.
• 👥 The fall of Adam and Eve is used as an origin story for death, illustrating the shift from unity to separation and the introduction of shame and hostility.

Q & A

What does the phrase 'from dust you are and to dust you will return' signify in the script?

It signifies the biblical concept of human mortality and the cycle of life, where humans are created from the dust of the earth and, upon death, return to it.

How does the script describe the creation of man according to the second creation account?

The script describes the creation of man as God gathering the dust of the earth and then blowing the spirit into it, thus giving life to a living being.

What is the script's explanation of death at different ontological levels?

The script explains death as a loss of unity and purpose at every ontological level of reality, where elements that were once unified and moving towards a common purpose begin to disperse and decompose.

What is the difference between life and death as described in the script?

The difference between life and death is the presence or absence of unity and purpose. Life is characterized by unity containing multiplicity, while death is characterized by multiplicity without unity.

How does the script relate the concept of death to the separation of elements in an animal's body?

The script relates death to the moment when the spirit leaves the animal, causing the elements of the body to no longer cohere towards a purpose and begin to decompose.

What is the script's view on the relationship between death and the loss of purpose?

The script views death as a state where a unifying principle or purpose is lost, leading to the dispersion of elements that were once held together towards a common goal.

How does the script apply the concept of death to other aspects of life, such as friendship or an empire?

The script applies the concept of death to any situation where a unifying principle is lost, such as the end of a friendship or the fall of an empire, where the elements that made up the whole no longer have a reason to cohere.

What does the script say about the first thing that happens after the fall, as noticed by Adam and Eve?

The script says that the first thing that happens after the fall is that Adam and Eve notice they are naked and feel the need to protect themselves, indicating a sense of separation and vulnerability.

Why does the script suggest that Adam and Eve had to protect themselves after the fall?

The script suggests that they had to protect themselves because they were now separate from each other and from God, and the elements that were once in unity were now in a state of hostility and danger.

What is the significance of the concept of 'multiplicity without unity' in the script's discussion of death?

The concept of 'multiplicity without unity' signifies the state of disintegration and loss of purpose that characterizes death, where the elements that were once part of a unified whole begin to separate and lose their collective identity.

How does the script connect the idea of dust to the concept of death?

The script connects the idea of dust to the concept of death by describing dust as a mass of things with no relationship to each other, which is then animated by God's spirit. When life ends, the spirit leaves, and the elements return to their state of being like dust, dispersed and without unity.

Outlines

00:00

🌪 The Concept of Death and Unity in Life

This paragraph delves into the philosophical and theological understanding of death as a loss of unity and purpose. It starts with a biblical reference to God telling Adam that he is made from dust and will return to it, highlighting the creation of man from dust and the infusion of spirit. The speaker explores the idea that death is not merely the cessation of life but a process that applies to every level of reality, suggesting that it's the loss of a unifying principle that leads to disintegration. The paragraph also discusses how this concept of unity and purpose applies to various aspects of life, including the aging process and sickness, and how they are akin to death due to the breakdown of the body's ability to move towards its purpose.

05:01

🔗 The Analogy of Death in Relationships and Societies

The second paragraph extends the concept of death to relationships and societal structures, using the analogy of a friendship's end to illustrate the idea of death as the loss of a unifying principle. It discusses how the death of a friendship, an empire, a nation, or a company signifies the dissolution of what once held the elements together towards a common purpose. The speaker explains that when the unifying principle is gone, the elements disperse, leading to the potential for new relationships or structures. The paragraph also touches on the themes of protection, separation, and the emergence of hostility and shame as a result of this separation, using the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve's realization of their nakedness as a metaphor for this shift towards multiplicity and away from unity.

Keywords

💡Dust

In the script, 'dust' symbolizes the origin and the end of human life, as mentioned in the phrase 'from dust you are and to dust you will return.' It represents the physical, non-animated state before life is breathed into it. The concept of dust is integral to understanding the theme of life and death, as it is the raw material that God uses to create man, and to which man returns after death, as illustrated by the script's discussion on the second creation account.

💡Spirit

The 'spirit' in the script refers to the animating force that God breathes into the dust to create a living being. It is the essence that differentiates life from non-life and is central to the video's exploration of what it means to be alive. The script uses the concept of spirit to explain how life begins and how it ends, with the spirit leaving the body at death.

💡Death

'Death' in the script is described as a multifaceted concept that applies to various ontological levels and is not limited to the cessation of biological life. It is the loss of the unifying principle that holds elements together towards a purpose. The script uses death to discuss the disintegration of unity, such as the decomposition of a body or the end of relationships, and how it is part of life's cycle.

💡Unity and Multiplicity

The script contrasts 'unity,' which contains multiplicity and moves towards a common purpose, with 'multiplicity' that lacks unity and becomes disorganized. This concept is crucial for understanding the difference between life and death, as life is characterized by the unity of elements working together, while death signifies the breakdown of this unity into separate, purposeless elements.

💡Purpose

'Purpose' in the script is the unifying principle that gives direction and meaning to the elements of life. It is what holds the multiplicity together in a living being or any entity. The loss of purpose at death is what leads to decomposition and the disintegration of the entity, as illustrated by the script's discussion on the difference between a live and dead animal.

💡Separation

'Separation' is depicted in the script as a consequence of the loss of unity and purpose, leading to the elements of an entity moving away from each other. It is exemplified by the need for protection and the emergence of shame after the fall, indicating a shift from unity to multiplicity and hostility.

💡Protection

'Protection' in the script is the act of safeguarding oneself from what is external and potentially hostile, which arises from the separation and loss of unity. It is an action that signifies the recognition of an 'other' that is not part of one's identity, as seen when Adam and Eve realize they are naked and need to cover themselves.

💡Identity

'Identity' in the script is the sense of self that is distinct from others, which becomes more pronounced after the fall. It is tied to the concept of unity and purpose, and its loss leads to the need for protection and the emergence of shame, indicating a shift towards separation and multiplicity.

💡Shame

'Shame' is a feeling that arises from the realization of one's nakedness and vulnerability in the script. It symbolizes the awareness of separation from unity and the recognition of one's identity as distinct and exposed, leading to the need for protection and concealment.

💡Communion

'Communion' in the script refers to the state of unity and togetherness before the fall, where multiplicity moved towards a common purpose. It contrasts with the state of separation and hostility that arises after the fall, highlighting the loss of unity as a central theme in the video.

💡Ontological Levels

'Ontological levels' in the script refer to the different planes of existence or reality where the concept of death can be applied. The script suggests that death is not just a biological event but also a phenomenon that can be understood in the context of relationships, societies, and other complex entities, illustrating the broad application of the concept.

Highlights

The concept of returning to dust signifies a return to a state of disunity and lack of purpose.

God's creation of man involves gathering dust and infusing it with spirit, creating a living being.

Death is a misunderstood concept that applies to every level of reality, not just individuals.

Dust represents the disassembled state of elements without unity or purpose.

The difference between life and death is the presence or absence of a unifying principle.

Life is characterized by unity containing multiplicity, while death is multiplicity without unity.

The moment of death initiates a process of decomposition as elements lose their cohesive purpose.

The spirit's departure from an animal signifies the beginning of physical decomposition.

Death is part of life, though the full explanation is complex and not elaborated here.

Disease and old age are processes akin to death, moving away from the body's intended purpose.

The concept of death can be applied to various levels of reality, including relationships and societies.

The death of a friendship or marriage signifies the loss of a unifying principle in the relationship.

The death of an empire or nation is the loss of a common identity and purpose among its members.

The fall from grace in the garden represents the beginning of separation and loss of unity.

Adam and Eve's realization of their nakedness symbolizes the need for protection from what is outside their identity.

The need for protection indicates a shift from unity to hostility and separation.

The concept of secrets and keeping them from others represents a form of separation and hostility.

Transcripts

and then finally he ends his

pronunciation by saying that for dust

you are and to dust you will return

you'll have to you have come out from

the ground we have to return to the

ground and so the key for us in

understanding all of these statements is

in the last part is in the very end of

the statement where God says to Adam

from dust you are and from dust you will

return if you remember in the second

creation account God gathers the dust of

the earth and then blows the spirit into

the Dust and that is how God uh that is

how man becomes a Living spirit becomes

a living being um and

so you know when you look at that you

might at the outset think okay and then

they leave the garden it's like well if

God said that they would die why don't

they just drop dead you know why don't

they just eat the fruit and drop dead

and I think it's because uh people do

death is one of those things that we

think we understand but that we usually

don't have very good definitions for

that we don't totally understand what it

is that they're referring to and also to

understand the death is something that

doesn't just apply to a person but that

applies at every level every ontological

level of reality that there's an

analogies to what death death is at

every ontological level and this is of

course what's going on here is that all

the elements are trying to help us

understand what death is we have a kind

of origin story for death um and like I

said the clue is in the idea of dust so

the the idea is that now you will become

dust now what does it mean to become

dust first of all what is

dust uh dust is basically an amass of

things that have no relationship with

each other right that's what dust is the

difference and then God gathers the dust

together all these disperse elements and

then he puts a spirit in it he puts a a

a a breath in it he puts a heaven inside

he puts a name inside he puts meaning

inside he puts purpose inside he puts

all the things that are invisible

patterns that legislate uh disperse

elements he puts that in this Gathering

of dust and now the dust is animated now

the dust is now is no longer dust but is

is one being even though it's still made

of dust and so this is the difference

between life and death the difference

between life is death is the difference

between Unity which contains

multiplicity and multiplicity which no

longer has unity bringing it together

that is the difference between life and

death and so the difference if you like

in the in the most mundane way the

difference between a live animal and a

dead animal is the difference

between all these different elements in

an in an animal that are moving towards

the purpose purpose of survival the you

know the purposes that animals have and

then all the a sudden something happens

to the animal now the breath leaves

right the spirit leaves the animal in

the Bible it says we don't know if it

goes up or it goes down but let's say

the spirit leaves the animal and now the

elements of the

animal no longer cohere completely

towards purpose and that's why they will

start to decompose the elements will

start to break apart from each other it

takes time but at the moment of death

that process has already become there's

a mystery by which death is actually

part of uh of life but that would be too

complicated to talk about that right now

but uh the idea of something that is

dead is something that has lost now its

unitary purpose now this is the best way

to understand what death is and it can

be applied at different levels of

reality so if you understand that that

is what it means for you to die so when

you die your body now is still there but

it starts to decompose because there's

nothing holding it together towards

purpose so you can understand then that

all the things that move you away from

your purpose are Akin at least to death

that is sickness for example when your

body is breaking down and is not capable

of of properly moving towards its

purpose then that is a process of death

old age when you get older and your body

starts to to to wither and it no longer

easily moves towards the purpose that

you have for the body then that old age

is also akin to death now it's not

arbitrary that both death both disease

and old age do lead to death in the in

the absolute sense like in the sense

that now there really is this complete

separation between the reason the spirit

the unifying principle and the and the

disperate elements and you can see the

process all along but that is this is

what it is that you're supposed to

understand but now you can also apply to

anything that has commonality and so you

can say

that you can say you know with a true

analogy you can say well the death of my

friendship with this person and so what

is the death of my friendship with this

person means it's not like you know we

don't cease to exist like me and Bob we

were still there so what does it mean

for our friendship to die it means that

the thing that bound us together that

created a third reality which is our

relationship which is the communion of

us together is now gone and because of

that now Bob and I are going our

separate ways you know if you say the

end of the death of an Empire the end of

the death of a Nation that's the same

thing the things that are that made the

Empire is still there right the res

remainders of the buildings the matter

the the people are there but what

happens is now they no longer have a

reason in order to join together and to

participate in a common identity it's

true for for the death of a company for

the for the for the death of anything

that you can imagine that has a unifying

principle holding it together towards

purpose and then that principle going

away the elements now disperse and

become something like food for something

else they become potential for other

beings so you know it's like if I'm no

longer friends with Bob I can still be

friends with some someone else and so

that you know like let's say friendship

is complicated against multiple let's

say I'm married to someone and then I

get divorce and that's the death of our

marriage but now I become potential for

another relationship that I can engage

in and that's true for Nations it's true

for companies etc etc okay and so this

is what dying means and this is what

begins to happen at the fall and so all

the elements that are there in the story

are there to show that and so what's the

first thing that happens the

the Adam and Eve noticed that they're

naked

and that they have to protect

themselves and so why do you have to

protect yourself from something you have

to protect yourself from something

because it's not you it's not part of

you you know you have to protect your

something because it is hostile to the

identity so a company has to protect

itself from spies from the other company

because they're that those spies are

hostile to the purpose of the company a

being has to protect himself from being

hurt from uh being from someone you know

hitting them with a sword or whatever it

is that you have to do that is the

nature of protection the nature the

nature of of having to separate

yourself in an act of protection from

someone else is an image of Separation

it's an image now of Multiplicity that's

losing its unitary function so before

that Adam and Eve were naked but they

didn't have to protect each other they

didn't have to protect each other from

each other and they also didn't have to

protect each other from God there was

Multiplicity but that multiplicity was

moving towards communion and unity and

now the multiplicity is moving away from

communion and unity and is becoming

hostility is becoming uh danger is

becoming shame is becoming uh secret all

of these things are you know why do you

have to keep a secret from other people

you have to keep a secret you have to

keep a secret because the people that

don't know the secret are outside from

you so you have this separation between

inside and outside which is now

formulated as a form of hostility