The First "Textual" Humans

[gbrooks9 (GeorgeB)]

@swamidass

The reason I’m reticent to explain more is because I already have explained it to you several times. I think the issue is that it is a definition that is unusual to you. So before, I attempt repeating it, let me make a few observations.

1. I think you are looking for a “substance” definition, based on the attributes of a person, by which we can classify if they are human or not. An example of a “substance” definition would be, for example, to define a species based on its attributes.

I’m not giving a definition like this.

2. I am giving a “relational” definition, that is independent of differences in substance. An example of a relational definition is your “wife”, who has this classification because of a particular relationship she has with another person (you).

It is possible that a particular relational definition could entail a difference in substance, but not necessarily. I’m making a relational distinction, that does not entail a substance distinction.

Once we can on the same page about this, perhaps I will remind you again what the textual definition of “human” is.

@John_Harshman,

This is a link to a more fulsome description of “textual human” by Joshua:

Comments on The BioLogos Statement on Adam and Eve

They are biological humans. I also make a case they have human dignity and worth, and are loved by God. They just are not the focus of Scripture. This makes sense because by the time Scripture is recieved their theological class doesn’t exist any more. There is no reason for them to appear as more than just the backstory and peripheral vision. They are fully human, just not the subject of Scripture. No need to feel sorry for them for this reason. Cain’s wife, for example, appears in peripheral vision. That serves to make the point, not trouble it.

Prior to his posting, Joshua wrote this:

“It is just a fact that Scripture doesn’t consider people in the distant past.”

And then, John, you asked him:
“But it does consider people who aren’t textual-human, right? Cain’s wife, all those non-textual-human people Cain was afraid of, who knows how many folks at the time of the flood. I feel for those poor folks who weren’t considered human.”