Clay's highly reactive surfaces provide scaffolding for the self-assembly of biomolecules and the eventual formation of living organisms.
The Jewish Golem legend holds every hallmark of this interaction. Jesus rubbed clay mixed with his spit to reverse blindness. What exactly did the ancients know about clay?
The clay golem represents themes of creation, the power of sacred words, and the ethical responsibilities of wielding mystical knowledge.
The legend of the golem teaches that while humans can create and control, they must also keep in check the consequences of their actions.
In a way creating a golem shares profound similarities with Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (themes of creation, power, and unintended consequences). The lesson: the pursuit of knowledge and power must be tempered with wisdom, responsibility, and an awareness of the potential repercussions.
Very much in the spirit of the time with the emergence of artificial intelligence ...
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