[Avodah] "Knowledge of Good and Bad"

[Cantor Wolberg]

Regarding "Knowledge of Good and Bad" Kenneth Miller wrote:
"To someone who does not understand right and wrong, but does understand benefit and loss, I'd think this would sound like a great idea."     
"It is only we, who do understand the idea that disobeying G-d is wrong, who feel that the nachash's idea was stupid. But that was beyond Adam and Chava's comprehension. I think it would have sounded pretty reasonable to them."

>From the statements above, how can there be culpability on the part of Adam and Chava?  If this was beyond their comprehension and they did not understand that disobeying G-d is wrong, then they are "anusim" at best and at worst they sinned "b'shogeg." Actually, "anoos" is not so far off because one could say that Chava was raped by the nachash, in a manner of speaking.  So why such harsh punishments?  And more perplexing, why does mankind have to pay such a high price for one lousy apple?   
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