Yes, it would require that. I only can give you my experiences with dogs, who count as animals, I would say:-) from what I saw a dog can distinguish between being allowed to do something or not. Right and wrong I would include that. Not including "good and evil", that would go too far.

From a third perspective, Adam and Eve might have been used to transport the message to the receiver of the message: the reader and interpreter.

I can imagine that it is meant as a process, not just changing from knowing nothing to knowing it all but slowly but surely losing the former innocence.

But it could be that after having the Bible several times altered the original message is lost and we now are facing a riddle. To act in defiance requires a punisher who threatens with a consequence. To act out of curiosity makes it different, it doesn't necessarily need a punisher but starts a process of conditional emergence. Which is what I believe happened throughout the story of mankind.