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Cain & Abel
Cain and Abel are the first two sons of Adam and Eve after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden in the biblical book of Genesis. According to the biblical story, Cain killed Abel because God accepted Abel's sacrifice but rejected Cain's...
Definition
Social Contract
The social contract is an idea in philosophy that at some real or hypothetical point in the past, humans left the state of nature to join together and form societies by mutually agreeing which rights they would enjoy and how they would be...
Definition
State of Nature
The state of nature is an idea which became especially popular with certain philosophers during the Enlightenment, notably Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), John Locke (1632-1704), and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). It refers to a state of existence...
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Cain Slaying Abel
Cain Slaying Abel, oil on oak wood painting by Peter Paul Rubens, produced between 1608 and 1609. Courtauld Institute of Art, London. Cain and Abel were sons of the first humans Adam and Eve in the biblical Book of Genesis. Cain was...
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Islamic Depiction of Cain and Abel
Cain burying his brother Abel, illustration from an Islamic illuminated manuscript of the Stories of the Prophets, 11th century CE. Cain and Abel were sons of the first humans Adam and Eve in the biblical Book of Genesis. Cain was a farmer...
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Sacrifices of Cain and Abel
Relief from the Nîmes Cathedral depicting the sacrifices of Cain and Abel. Cain and Abel were sons of the first humans Adam and Eve in the biblical Book of Genesis. Cain was a farmer, and Abel was a shepherd. They both made sacrifices...
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Eve Bewailing the Death of Abel
Eve Bewailing the Death of Abel, terracotta sculpture by Joseph Nollekens, between 1800-1810. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. According to Bible, Abel was murdered by his own brother Cain who was jealous of Abel being favoured...
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Abel Tasman
Dutch explorer, Abel Janszoon Tasman (1603-1659), who discovered Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania, Australia) in 1642. (National Library of Australia)
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Skadi & Njord
Artist's depiction of the Norse goddess Skadi and her husband, the god Njord, on their way to Njord's home of Nóatún. Although Skadi enjoys the mountains where she hunts and skis and Njord likes his dark, damp cave by the water, they try...
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The Family of Cain
The Family of Cain, ink painting by Peter Oliver, after the original image by Paolo Veronese, 1638–47. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Cain and Abel were sons of the first humans Adam and Eve in the biblical Book of Genesis. Cain...