Hi CB - You said:

"This is where I have a problem with Paul's
> pre-scientific metaphysics. Either I don't
> understand the Greek philosophical concept
> of "source," or the way I
> currently understand it, I can't accept it.
> What does it mean to say Adam is the source
> of Eve?"

It has more to do with the word usage at the time of the writing. Words tend to change in meaning as time passes. A good example is "prevent". Today we understand it as "to block, stand in the way, cause to change course", but it's origin and usage during the time of King James was "to go before and open the way".

Thus to say,
"O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low." Ps 79:8
might indicate today that God would stop David; Stop some action or sin. But in truth he is saying that the Lord would "go before him and open his way - to pre-vent".

Gilbert Bilezikian,Professor of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College in his book "Beyond Sex Rolls" notes that"in ancient Greek as well as many other languages, the word head (kephale)does not generally carry that (boss, authority) meaning". He examines other authors of the 1st century, Christian and non and concludes in reference to 1Cor 11, This simple exercise demonstrates the need to allow the word "kephale" to convey freely the meaning it possessed with in the original linguistic milieu without encumbering it with distorting accretions imported from environments foreign to it.

All that to say, what did it mean when written. It meant source, and the reference refers to a mistaken idea of pagan Artimus worshipers that had been converted. As I stated, they believed that Woman, artimus/Eve/woman was the source of wisdom and life itself. I appears that Paul is not telling the church that men should rule over women, but teaching the deeper Judeo/Christian order of creation. Though MAN was created in His image, both male and female, the woman was taken from the side of man; thus he was the "source". and thus Paul concludes in vs 11, nevertheless in the Lord, woman is not independent of the man or man independent of the woman, for just as woman came from the man, man came through the woman, but all things come from God. Mutual submistion, relationship, and unity of the body of Christ is what is at stake here, not submission, hierarchy or authority.

I have posted a site below of an organization I have come to know and love made up of Biblical Scholars who have spent the last 25 years tackling this subject on the academic level. The are known as Christians for Biblical Equality. Some of their articles are free on the web and their books are well worth having.