Wasn't that a result of man NOT LISTENING to GOD anymore ? (eating the apple).
Man went against 'instinct', against that which God 'provided'. He was therefore forced to 're-invent' the wheel, (which is where the increase in knowledge comes about).
As described in the Bible (and really, most religions and mythologies have the same concept), man used his 'free will' to choose his path. Unfortunately, Lucifer was right about many taking the lower road.
It’s appears that man was expelled from the Garden not merely for the sin of eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil but also for attempting to blame another (he his wife and she the serpent). It might have been, if man had simply repented, God would have forgiven them. Which is worse, brother, the sin or the cover-up? We, being human, can’t help but sin. God, being God, is anxious to forgive us.