Learned Hand
08-21-07, 10:08 AM
Since philosophy covers the subtle, yet mighty art of logic and analytical reasoning, I thought I'd throw this out for fun. The following "poem" is from a novelty song I heard years ago as a teenager, and thought it was hilarious. But if you break it down, the speaker of the "poem" is truly his own grandpa. At the end I've tasked us with a question. Personally, I'm curious to see the multitude of answers (and other provoking questions) we come up with. Enjoy!
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Many, many years ago when I was twenty-three,
I was married to a widow who was pretty as can be.
This widow had a grown up daughter who had hair of red,
My father fell in love with her and soon they too were wed.
This made my dad my son-in-law, which changed my very life,
My daughter was my mother 'cause she was my father's wife.
To complicate the matter, even though it brought me joy,
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.
My little baby then became a brother-in-law to Dad,
And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad.
For if he was my uncle, then that also made him brother
To the widow's grown up daughter who of course was my stepmother.
My father's wife then had a son which kept 'em on the run,
And he became my grandchild, for he was my daughter's son.
My wife is now my mother's mother, and it makes me blue,
Because although she is my wife, she's my grandmother too.
Now if my wife is my grandmother, then I'm her grandchild,
And every time I think of it, it nearly drives me wild.
For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw,
As husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa.
__________________________________________________
Question 1: If the brother-in-law of the man who married the widow had a living father, would the living father then be the great-grandfather of the widow's grandchild not born by her daughter? Explain your answer.
__________________________________________
Many, many years ago when I was twenty-three,
I was married to a widow who was pretty as can be.
This widow had a grown up daughter who had hair of red,
My father fell in love with her and soon they too were wed.
This made my dad my son-in-law, which changed my very life,
My daughter was my mother 'cause she was my father's wife.
To complicate the matter, even though it brought me joy,
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.
My little baby then became a brother-in-law to Dad,
And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad.
For if he was my uncle, then that also made him brother
To the widow's grown up daughter who of course was my stepmother.
My father's wife then had a son which kept 'em on the run,
And he became my grandchild, for he was my daughter's son.
My wife is now my mother's mother, and it makes me blue,
Because although she is my wife, she's my grandmother too.
Now if my wife is my grandmother, then I'm her grandchild,
And every time I think of it, it nearly drives me wild.
For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw,
As husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa.
__________________________________________________
Question 1: If the brother-in-law of the man who married the widow had a living father, would the living father then be the great-grandfather of the widow's grandchild not born by her daughter? Explain your answer.