Joe Pascale - Ishmael

I recently read a book titled "Ishmael." The book is a anthropological work of fiction based on the impacts of the Agriculture Revolution. Apparently it won a number of awards when it was published a couple decades ago. It has some very interesting points, all centering on the fact that the Agriculture Revolution is the downfall of man. But aside from that it discusses the role of prophets in society. I thought that the idea of prophets would fit in well with the class topic. Humans are the only creature that has prophets. The book thinks that this is a product of humans need to know why. Animals have no concept or desire to understand how or why something works the way it does, they just know thats how it is. Unfortunately for man, we do ponder these questions because of increases brain size and cranial capacity. This has lead to exploration and discovery, which most would argue is a good thing. But when it goes too far it can pillage and scar the natural world. There is that old saying from Jurassic Park after all, "What is so great about discovery? It is a violent, penetrative act that scars what it explores. What you call discovery, I call the rape of the natural world." So I guess my question is, which side do agree with? The Agricultural Revolution as the downfall of man? Or the greatest societal transformation in the history of all species?