When memory is created, aspects of the limbic system add an emotional tag during the writing process. This is useful to animal instinct, since a similar experience that triggers an existing memory, will induce the same feeling. For example, if an animal sees a strange food item and he feels good, he will eat. If the item induces the feeling of nausea, he will pass.
That being said, the symbolism of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, is implicit of a unique type of human memory; law. Law is unique in that it has two conflicting emotional tags, at the same time, to reflect the positive feeling of conformity and the negative feeling associated with violation. If we pay our taxes we are a good citizen, but if we don't pay our taxes, you will feel fear since the man is looking for you. Implicit in thou shall pay taxes, is both good and evil feeling tags attached to the law memory.
The animal brain will unconsciously separate law into two memories, based on the two emotional tags, even though we will consciously learn law as one thing. Or we may repress the dark side and try to do good. The net result is the dark side of law gathers together in one location in memory; hell. While the good sides of law gather in a different location in the brain; heaven.
If you look at historical descriptions of hell, everyone in hell epitomizes the dark side of law; murderers, thieves, rapists, etc. There is also all types of pain, torture and scary things to haunt you. In heaven, all is peaceful and there is no violation or fear.
Hell is a projection of how the brain deals with the dark side of law memories. The concept of original sin implies that even if we are good, consciously, there is still an internal hell created by how memory will write law, that can have an unconscious impact; sin and violation.
Paul in Romans said;
What then shall we say? Is the Law sin? By no means! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the Law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the Law had not said, “Do not covet.” But sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment,produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from the Law, sin is dead.
One way to look at this is to consider the feeling of hunger. When we are hungry, the feeling causes the brain to dial in a layer of the memory associated with food and eating. We start to think along the lines of memories with hunger tags; pizza or subs. It becomes harder to work, unless you can shut off the hunger feeling. Any emotion can expose a layer of memory with similar emotional tags.
In the case of hunger, a basic layer of known food items can induce some to be creative, allowing the chef to creates a new food.
Heaven and Hell have unique emotional tags, which when triggered, can cause a heaven or hell layer to appear. This layer can activate the imagination, project and even induce actions and compulsive reactions;
But sin,seizing its opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every kind covetous desire. New violations are created, which is often attributed to Satan or the Devil; acting creative principle geared around the law.