Apples are my favorite fruit — but is it the forbidden fruit? Probably not. The idea seems to have come from a mistranslation or artistic liberty rather than the gospel truth.
The Bible’s Book of Genesis tells the story of the serpent who talks to Eve about a particular fruit that, if she ate it, would cause her to “be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:4, St. James Version). It doesn’t say which fruit, and many different fruits have been proposed. The idea that it’s an apple could come from a confusion between the Latin word “malus” for evil and “malum” for apple. Or the Latin word “pomum” for fruit; in French, it became “pomme” and eventually meant apple. Or the Biblical story became mixed with Greek legends about apples.
In any case, apple trees are a good example of how plants manipulate us. Apple trees grow tasty fruit so that we pick it, eat it, and spread the seeds when we toss away the core. Like many kinds of fruit, some varieties of apples even change color as they ripen to encourage us to eat them. Apple trees now grow all over the planet and enjoy tender loving care. Like every plant, apples want to take over the Earth — or at least conquer every niche they can fit into. Apples have used us humans to achieve world domination.
It’s apple season. Enjoy! And consider the mutualism that brings you this sweet treat. Just because you eat something, you might not be the apex predator. You might be cheap labor.
Semiosis 