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Steven Pinker -- How the Mind Works - Hampshire High Italian ...

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384 J HOW THE MIND WORKSFrom Aristeas, first century BC: "The dietary laws are ethical in intent,since abstention from <strong>the</strong> consumption of blood tames man's instinct forviolence by instilling in him a horror of bloodshed. . . . The injunctionagainst <strong>the</strong> consumption of birds of prey was intended to demonstratethat man should not prey on o<strong>the</strong>rs."From Isaac ben Moses Arama: "The reason behind all <strong>the</strong> dietary prohibitionsis not that any harm may be caused to <strong>the</strong> body, but that <strong>the</strong>se foodsdefile and pollute <strong>the</strong> soul and blunt <strong>the</strong> intellectual powers, thus leadingto confused opinions and a lust for perverse and brutish appetites whichlead men to destruction, thus defeating <strong>the</strong> purpose of creation."From Maimonides: "All <strong>the</strong> food which <strong>the</strong> Torah has forbidden us to eathave some bad and damaging effect on <strong>the</strong> body. . . . The principal reasonwhy <strong>the</strong> Law forbids swine's flesh is to be found in <strong>the</strong> circumstancesthat its habits and its food are very dirty and loathsome. . . . The fat of <strong>the</strong>intestines is forbidden because it fattens and destroys <strong>the</strong> abdomen andcreates cold and clammy blood. . . . Meat boiled in milk is undoubtedlygross food, and makes a person feel overfull."From Abraham ibn Ezra: "I believe it is a matter of cruelty to cook a kidin its mo<strong>the</strong>r's milk."From Nahmanides: "Now <strong>the</strong> reason for specifying fins and scales is thatfish which have fins and scales get nearer to <strong>the</strong> surface of <strong>the</strong> water andare found more generally in freshwater areas. . . . Those without fins andscales usually live in <strong>the</strong> lower muddy strata which are exceedingly moistand where <strong>the</strong>re is no heat. They breed in musty swamps and eating<strong>the</strong>m can be injurious to health."With all due respect to rabbinical wisdom, <strong>the</strong>se arguments can bedemolished by any bright twelve-year-old, and as a former temple SundaySchool teacher I can attest that <strong>the</strong>y regularly are. Many Jewishadults still believe that pork was banned as a public health measure, toprevent trichinosis. But as Harris points out, if that were true <strong>the</strong> lawwould have been a simple advisory against undercooking pork: "Flesh ofswine thou shalt not eat until <strong>the</strong> pink has been cooked from it."Harris observes that food taboos often make ecological and economicsense. The Hebrews and <strong>the</strong> Muslims were desert tribes, and pigs areanimals of <strong>the</strong> forest. They compete with people for water and nutritiousfoods like nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Kosher animals, in contrast, are

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