Torah Tuesday - Genesis

[@samtv6447]

May God bless you sister may God guide you for us please

[@Chu_on_This]

Appreciated the piece from the other languages to help flesh out the word for image. Will keep your writing and your studies in our prayers.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks, Mike! Much appreciated!

[@MavisRivera-s4q]

En español kiero

[@russelldirkse1298]

“Benevolent Selfless and Creative!” Brilliant summary. As I’ve been wrestling with this question for 40+ years, With no more Hebrew than Strongs concordance available to me your summary echoes what I’ve learned About bearing his image. I grew up in a Christian missionary alliance church and in that paradigm I did not find a place for people like me. I was a cartoonist loved drawing and architecture but those seemed frivolous to me as a young person. I wasn’t able to tether these occupations to the great commission. Our Holy Spirit has taught me over the years that selfless creativity is “kingdom” building.

[@russelldirkse1298]

Soli De Gloria AMEN?

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Love this!

[@jamaluddinsiregar9369]

Although majority of believer in God have had not Questioned this subject, yet there is so lof of la layman needs to be waken up out of their long sleeping. Great this VC to be shared.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@suzaniovieno2023]

Dear lord continue to guide and direct this woman’s writings books to only glorify you in your most holy holy name Jesus Christ amen amen ❤

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks, Suzan!

[@killimediapremg]

Great explanation, God will lead you with his knowledge and wisdom. Thank you.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pelguetab]

Im finishing Bearing God’s Name and it’s been a wonderful reading. Cant wait for a new book so, You can count with my prayers

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you, Pablo! Much appreciated.

[@cindyparkerbiblestudy]

I love your book Bearing Gods Name!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

So glad to hear that! Have you also seen *Being God's Image*? That's the newest one. (And I'm working on a third, entitled *Becoming God's Family.*)

[@cwoodruff2433]

I am absolutely thrilled to be praying for you, a scholar in my own Alberta backyard! Thank you for all the time you invest in communicating the living word of God.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you! After four wonderful years in Alberta, we've moved to Southern California. There's a lot to miss about Alberta, though! Thanks for your prayers.

[@rev.sushildesai8504]

I eagerly wait for Tuesday for your sharing

[@adaranatural1829]

Your page is an answer to prayer. This explanation is so far the only one that resonates in my spirit. Thank you xxx

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Glad you found this helpful!

[@sigtorres7474]

Hello Carmen. I wish God keeps giving you the wisdom to discern his word. Also that he gives you inspiration for your book. Thank you for sharing God's word. ❤

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you! Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters was published in 2023. You can check it out!

[@jimoneill1579]

Carmen, I met you thru your interview in the podcast with my son, Shane, on his Naked Gospel podcast. So very thankful for your impact on his thinking in this area and your teaching with such clarity. We are blessed. Blessings, Jim

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

So delighted to have gotten to speak with your son! Thanks for finding my channel. Blessings!

[@shortyruiz9970]

T.y for showing us the difference in Hebrew Torah and the translation meaning the correct word.prayers for you and everyone else

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Blessings!

[@susanellen2]

Eighth time’s the charm!! One of my favorites so far!!! End result was beautiful and eloquent. Praying for you. I can’t wait for this book!!!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you, Susan! The first take was so smooth . . . but I had inadvertently clicked the "camera" rather than the "video camera," so I didn't capture it at all. When I came back to re-do it after a meeting, I couldn't get a coherent sentence out. The human brain is such a mystery! Glad you liked it.

[@charleseves2082]

I found it so helpful to understand some of the more common explanations of 'in His image' followed by a more correct explanation! Many thanks. Half way through, 'Bearing God's Name' which is excellent. Thanks!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

So glad you found it helpful, Charles! Blessings!

[@ifeelsohighschool13]

This is an excellent beginning to the unpacking of the idea of being God's Image. I tried to explain some of this in my class last Sunday, but because I had to divide my time among three main points, I couldn't go into the detail I would have liked. I have share a link to this video with the class social media and I linked back to this video in the comments of my own KZbin video lesson so that people can get this information. Thanks for all your work to share the blessings of the Torah with us. I will be praying for you.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks, Geoff! So glad you are taking the opportunity to teach these concepts in the local church.

[@Sgrace]

Thank you so much for the illumination given

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@anamariacamposguevara7423]

I really like what you are teaching I never heard you before but I will from now on. I guess your book has been finished by now. 😊

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Indeed it has! Here's a link: www.ivpress.com/being-god-s-image

[@peggyhardy6899]

Praying for you

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks, Peggy!

[@JoelTrousdale88]

Will be praying for you, Dr. Imes. Thanks for your work! Joel T.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you, Joel! Much appreciated!

[@richardlee7617]

Tim Mackie Discussion Group led me to your SeminaryNow interview of Walton and then immediately to this Torah Tuesday. Adding them to all that is stewing in my head, it strikes me that God routinely takes what is lowly and least and, by his own authority and involvement, places us in authority. e.g. humans - mere dust of the earth are called to rule over physical creation OR humans beings given authority over animals. It seems this pattern continues throughout scripture. For his own reasons God identifies, exalts and uses the least to advance his plan and story..

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Indeed! "What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor." Psalm 8:4-5

[@michaelasbell5252]

Thank you for this video, Dr. Imes. Over the past several months (with Tim Mackie’s help) I’ve come to see how truly important this image of God concept is to the biblical story. I just got Bearing God’s Name - haven’t even started reading it yet - and now I’m already excited about your next book! You are a gift to the church, and I’m praying for you.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you, Michael! So grateful for your prayers.

[@processandbeing]

I love this. Gotta read your book!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@shadydawood]

Really appreciate your heart and what you shared and truly praying for you As you requested at the end of the video May the Lord bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you so much!

[@peggyhardy6899]

Great video which has helped me have a greater understanding of what the image of God means. Looking forward to your new book next year!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks so much!

[@alland6719]

May the Lord bless and strengthen you.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you, Allan!

[@ringthembells143]

Wow! KZbin suggested this one for me today and I’m glad I went down the rabbit hole. Also you mentioned your book here two years ago. What an awesome journey for you on this book. Congratulations🎉 friend❤️❤️

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Glad you found it! (I should re-watch this one and see if I still agree with it!)

[@parenttonations3854]

I am really continuing to enjoy these videos. This subject is so important to understanding so much of scripture and you explained it really well. Thank you again and your in our prayers for this new project.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you for your prayers!

[@russelldirkse1298]

Praying for you and looking forward to the insights in your next book.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks, Russell! Much appreciated.

[@WilliamFAlmeida]

Will definitely pray for you!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Much appreciated!

[@wendycolglazier381]

Oh WOW! I love this definition of "Image of God". You have my prayers I have been sharing these (English) videos each week day until I am caught up (on Facebook). I greatly appreciate your work, your research, and your sharing!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks so much for sharing the videos! So glad you're finding them helpful.

[@lizdesmond]

Yes, I will definitely pray for you. Your work has been a great blessing to me. Thank you! ❤

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you so much, Liz!

[@johanmaritz3917]

Love the insight and teachings Carmen. My family will be praying for you. Ya please keep focus on the book, would love to read it. May YHWH not only bless you work but also bless you family.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks for your prayers, Johan!

[@storyofscripture]

love this, I appreciate you bring in the ANE context aspect of it.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks, Benjamin!

[@LEM317]

That reminds me of the shirt I wore when we first met that said Btzelem Elohim and then down over my pregnant belly Btzelem Elohim Mini hahaha such a clever shirt. I'm praying for you now and always, friend.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Yes! I think of your shirt often!

[@Leadeshipcoach]

Carmen... great intro to the topic of the image of G-d! Looking forward to your next book and will definitely keep you and it in prayer 😊🙏🏻

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thank you so much!

[@mariag4538]

Wow, this was so very good! And your explanation really helps me to have a deeper and more accurate understanding of what it means to be made in God’s image. Thank you so much for the work you do! I will definitely keep you in prayer.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks for your prayers, Maria!

[@stevenjdbeattie576]

Fantastic !!!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@stevencoronado4815]

Wow!! This is amazing!! 🤯

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Thanks, Steven!

[@jimholt2385]

Very helpful

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Glad you think so!

[@nigelmorrisdrums2793]

How interesting that Mary sees Jesus as the gardener in John 20!

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

YES! Mary is right! He is, and always has been, the gardener.

[@jdan45680]

Praying that the Holy Spirit will give you fresh insights in studying God’s Word.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

How kind of you! Thank you!

[@wesviau]

I really enjoyed the video Carmen. I noticed recently reading the Cain and Able story that God uses the language of sin “crouching” in Gen 4:7. Crouching is a trait of predatory animals like Lions just before they pounce on their prey. It made me think that because the image of God in Gen 1:26 is related to ruling over the animals that Cain’s sin is being portrayed as an animal that he fails to rule over. Because he fails to rule over it he murders his brother and is therefore compromising himself as the image of God. Not sure if that line of thinking really works but I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Thank you for the work you do! I’ll be praying for you as you write your new book.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Wesley, this is a fascinating idea! I think it definitely has merit. One of my students also pointed out to me today that the snake was also a created thing over which they failed to have dominion. They should have silenced the snake rather than letting it persuade them. Thanks for your thoughts and for praying for my project! Much appreciated!

[@ReChristianity]

Hi Carmen, thank you for these videos! Are you familiar with Cynthia Westfall Long at all?

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Yes, Cindy is a friend of mine and a great scholar!

[@ReChristianity]

@@CarmenJoyImesPhD Oh! Great! I just started reading Paul and gender. Very informative and interesting.

[@let-there-be-light]

Dear Dr. Carmen, thankful for your mini-series on the image of God. I hope you can open up further the relationship of Gen 1:26 and 1:27. Much scholars wrote on 1:26 but I see a very significant miss on our understanding in its relationship to "according to Our Likeness" of 1:27. The "sons of God in the Divine Council" in 1:26 'let Us' were created also as God's image bearers but sin (or iniquity) began in the heart of one of this /these son (s) (c.f. 3:22 'fallen man has become like one of them without God's Name i.e. God's Nature of Trinity Oneness). Dr. Mark S. Smith's book 'The Genesis of Good and Evil - The Fall (out) and Original Sin in the Bible opens up Gen 2-3 from the traditional Original Sin approach with desire, sin and evil (a progressive decline, decay and death). Personally, I see understanding of 1:26 and 1:27 as fundamentally important in bringing Church to realise and refocus on the Godhead Trinity Oneness - Likeness (in God's image according to God's Likeness). The intented Creation Image Bearer (Judaism rabbis' teaching on the Garment of Light for remorsed repented Adam & Eve) in Gen 5:1-2 whose perpetuated God's Name through this Priestly line that beget godly saints like Enoch (5:24), Noah( Gen 6:9), and king Melchizedek (Gen 14:18). Missing Gen 1:26 with 1:27 (i.e. w/o God's Name), there is no Oneness and seeking Sabbath and Shilom is like chasing after the winds because we keep searching for something that is not lost in what Gen 1:26 and 1:27 is trying to communicate to us, His Body. Much of Evangelical Christianity focus on individual relationship with Jesus and church but still with a 'individualistic' len. Restoring a new len on God's Name (with Godhead Trinity Likeness) uncover another dimension, right into our heart, mind and soul, to the accurate Mankind as Image Bearer of God's Name in the Godhead. Thank you so much.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

I think you'll appreciate my next video. :)

[@eew8060]

Hey Dr Imes! I enjoyed the video. Whats your view on the "Let us" portion. You left that out on purpose? I believe the Dr Michael Heiser perspective on the text but recently a KZbinr (Anthony Rogers) made a video challenging it. Just curious what your take is? Anyway, keep up the awesome videos. Can't wait for your Exodus commentary

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

I think it's mostly likely a reference to the divine council.

[@pambentivegna7565]

Great stuff! These are always insightful. My question is image in Genesis the same Hebrew word in Exodus 20? The statue concept would really make sense - like humans are His imagers (Dr. Heiser).

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Great question, Pam! No, it's not the same word. "Pesel" is the Hebrew word in Exodus 20, which also refers to an idol but emphasizes the act of making/carving it rather than the finished product.

[@Reaction_60]

I agree fully that we should oversee and manage the world unto its flourishing. Why would you say that the plural is used in this verse?

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Do you mean the plural "let us"? or the plural "they may rule"? I think the former is a reference to the divine council, with whom God deliberates (cf. Isa 6 and Job 1), and I think the latter underscores that both men and women are tasked with ruling creation.

[@Reaction_60]

@@CarmenJoyImesPhD I'm referring to the "let us." I've heard some say that the LORD is addressing the angels, but is that reasonable for an act of creation?

[@Reaction_60]

@@CarmenJoyImesPhD yes, in terms of stewardship, I would agree. But the plural "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" is astonishing.

[@adrianfaulkner1353]

Is Tselem roughly or similar the same word as the Egyptian pharaoh is to act functionally and rule for Ra, i will definitely pray for you🙏 just love your work.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Great question! I'm not an Egyptologist, but from what I've read there is a definite analogy between the idea of ancient kings as the images (and representatives) of the gods and the biblical idea of humans as God's image. If you want to explore it more deeply, you can check out Richard Middleton's book, 'The Liberating Image.'

[@edwin6294]

Let us make..... why in that verse God said :'let us'. Who is the another person.pkz explain if u know

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Good question! I talk about this in my new book, Being God's Image. There are several views, but I think it's most likely that God is speaking to his heavenly host (i.e. the angels in his heavenly court).

[@samtv6447]

Please can you talk about refuting all those skeptics who claim that genesis 1:26 “elohim” is used as royal sense instead a Trinitarian sense

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

I have done so in my book, Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters. If this was the "royal we," as some claim, it would be the only instance of that form in the entire Hebrew Bible.

[@baronreed8131]

In the original Hebrew language it is translated as, "being created AS Yahweh's imagers. To say that it is an attribute is to endorse abortion as the embreo does not possess any attributes but it does possess a purpose as an imager of God. I would refer you to a study done by Dr. Michael Heiser.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Sounds like you and I agree completely!

[@96tolife]

To be made in the image of God is to be a reflection of Him as is the case when one looks into a mirror. However, because of the Fall, we have all been born into this world in the image of Adam (Genesis 5:3). We are now a reflection of Adam, spiritually dead to God and not in His image. This is why we must be born again of the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ. That is why we are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). In Christ, we now have God living in us again as He did when He created Adam and breathed His life into him (Genesis 2:7). We are now in His image again. We can never lose it like Adam did because the death of Jesus Christ means God will never remove His life from us again because of sin.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

In my book, Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters, I explain why the analogy of a mirror does not accurately reflect the meaning of the Hebrew word tselem (pun intended). I also show why it is untenable that the image was lost at the fall. Genesis 9:6 still grounds ethical treatment of fellow humans in human status as God's image, so that proves that humans have not lost that status.

[@albertocon4136]

I have a question, what does that line mean when they use the plural form, Us and our. Was there more than one god at work here? it's the only time I see this happen in genesis, they later changed it in the New testament to a singular form, so that it's not questioned. A hidden truth. I've been given the trinity excuses here, but I know that's not what it's going on here with, Us and Our.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

This is an excellent question, Alberto. Like you, I don't find the Trinity explanation convincing, because it would not have made sense to the ancient author or his audience. They would not have had a grid to understand it. Another explanation people offer is that it is the "royal we". I find it more historically plausible that God is addressing the divine council-- God's heavenly court of angelic beings. The BibleProject has a good video introducing the concept of a divine council, which may be foreign to us but shows up multiple times in the Old Testament (Job 1-2, Psalm 82, Deut 32, etc).

[@qcbtbx]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@flematicoreformandose5046]

Philipians 4 8:9 (Thoughts and actions to be the image of God) 8 For the rest, my dear family, these are the things you should think through: whatever is true, whatever is holy, whatever is upright, whatever is pure, whatever is attractive, whatever has a good reputation; anything virtuous, anything praiseworthy. 9 And these are the things you should do: what you learned, received, heard and saw in and through me. And the God of peace will be with you.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Yes!

[@hope5428]

Who is us in Let us

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

There are three possibilities: (1) God is using a "royal we" (2) It's a reference to the Trinity or (2) It's a reference to the divine council, in which God is addressing the members of the heavenly court. I think the third option is most likely, since we have no evidence elsewhere of #1 and the OT does not clearly teach or presume the Trinity (that's a later revelation when Christ comes). We have lots of evidence in the OT that ancient Israelites understood God to preside over a divine council (e.g., Deuteronomy 32, Isaiah 6, Psalm 82).

[@mayaportland8805]

Bearing God's name is the same with bearing God's image? So if humans are the image of God, who or what will be the image of the beast that that people will make that can speak and kill people who dont worship the beast? Some kind of AI?

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

They are not quite the same. Every human is God's image, but only covenant members bear God's name. Both are representative roles. (And both of my books are out now, so you can read all about it!) The image of a beast is an idol that people worship that diminishes God and displaces their own appointed role.

[@billyt.of.WV.]

So we're just going to ignore the fact it says us and ours

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Of course not! We're going to pay attention to what "us" and "ours" means in that particular cultural-historical context, rather than reading later meanings back into it.

[@hashemisbeautiful6615]

Very interesting video, and I agree with your premise about humans being God's representatives. It's clear that you study Torah, so in your studies of Torah I would emphasize an important teaching: Judaism considers Hebrew to be "lashon hakodesh," the holy language, through which God made the world (sort of like in the Matrix, but with the background code being Hebrew). If true, it is therefore infused with a unique spirituality even while being grammatically or superficially similar to other near eastern languages. For example, according to the rabbis, when Genesis 11:6 says "And the Lord said, "Lo! [they are] one people, and they all have one language," that one language was Hebrew. And if that's true then we should cross reference other uses of the same word in the Torah instead of finding similarities in other languages. How is the word "tzelem" used elsewhere in the Tanakh?

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Searching for tselem in the Torah yields only one other occurrence (besides the 3 passages I discuss at length in my book -- Gen 1:26-27; Gen 5:3; Gen 9:6). Numbers 33:52 bears the same meaning as cognate languages. The rest of the Tanakh is consistent with this usage.

[@hashemisbeautiful6615]

@@CarmenJoyImesPhD I understand, so I want to be clear that I agree with your insight about humans being God's representatives on earth. I see no good reason in arguing against something that I agree with. 🙂 I would ask you a question, however; what do we when we find that one of these cognate languages uses a word in a way that contradicts our belief system? It sort of forces us to realize that any linguistic similarities are incidental, which means that we can't learn any real spiritual lessons from them. We are sort of limited to sticking with the Hebrew. Reason for a second that God didn't reveal the Torah in Akkadian or Ugaritic, not even in Aramaic, which is sort of considered a sister language to Hebrew. We even say prayers in Aramaic! I do have to say that when you speak you sort of sound like a Jew. If I'm correct, according to what you've said in this video you believe in the Trinity, is that right?

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

I am a Christian, and I'm not Jewish. Yes, I believe in the Trinity. I don't study the occurrence of words in other languages for spiritual insights from those languages, but rather for a "glossary" of natural word meanings. Only Scripture is inspired by God. Obviously the Bible sometimes uses words to say new things that differ from the wider cultural context, but communication requires that we use words in the way they are generally understood, unless we stop to define them in new ways. I have no reason to believe that tselem would bear a different meaning in the Bible than it does in the ANE context (cognate languages), and the Bible's use of the word confirms that meaning, even while it offers a startling new insight -- that every human being is God's tselem!

[@hashemisbeautiful6615]

@@CarmenJoyImesPhD Hello, right, yes, and I agree with that too. However, there's one small caveat that can get us in trouble, which is that in a cultural or religious environment that exalted idols a "tzelem" meant something drastically different than its use in a completely monotheistic mindset. In one way you could actually say that they are diametrically opposed: being made in God's image is holy, while humans fashioning idols may be as far from holy as one can get. See in Daniel 3, for example, where Nebuchadnezzar set up a statue (tzalma) of himself to be worshiped (3:14), and not just as a representative of him. We can use the example of sacrifices as well, although I don't if the Hebrew word (korban) is similar to other languages (perhaps you know). What I _do_ know is while polytheists routinely brought sacrifices to their gods, seemingly similar to the sacrifices brought in the Temples, the motivations were totally different. The polytheists saw sacrifices as ways to appease their gods, which is not how Jews understood their purpose. Other than that they seem identical.

[@flematicoreformandose5046]

Hello Carmen, your presentation is very interesting! . I would like to add that the moment a sperm enters an ovum it is already a life and therefore it has been created in the image of the Mighty One. When men and women grow up, they learn from their environment and not only learn what it is to be the image of God, but also learn the knowledge of evil that distorts the image of Yave, even to the smallest expression. The concept of the Son of the Mighty One is to be born again or to be transformed to achieve the image of God in the highest expression and be accepted by God the Father.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Yes. In a future video, I'll talk about the affect of the Fall on the image.

[@flematicoreformandose5046]

@@CarmenJoyImesPhD It seems to me that I am one step ahead of you Dr Imes, I think that I am an efficient thinker. In any case, his contribution to the Torah is very valuable and I am grateful to him for that, his expositions to the Torah surpass many male rabbis who try to Judaize through mystical kabbalahs.

[@edwright3935]

I see the problem with defining "image" only in terms of attributes that do indeed reflect those of our creator- God's finger prints are on all creation. Time and time again It is not the smartest, strongest or the best of us that YHWH finds and uses to accomplish His purposes. How we understand "image" will effect how we treat those too young, too poor, too "dumb", too old among us to be of any use. Those in the womb or an "old age home" are not in the safest of places. I desire to know God's heart and mind here- not some political solution. No politics, please. It is the communal vs individual aspects of what scripture is telling us that I struggle to understand- history/scripture is full or examples of individuals and empires that tried to have dominion over all their world. How do we Christians as a community and as individuals faithfully bear God's Name and reflect God's Image? Professor Imes I do pray that you are able to understand God's heart and mind as you write your Image book- that the words would flow as write out you manuscript.

[@CarmenJoyImesPhD]

Yes, another reason the "capability" view is problematic is that many animals are quite capable of reason and relationship, and some humans are not, given disabilities at birth or subsequent injury or severe illness.