I Am My Own Grandpa

Discussion in 'General Philosophy' started by Learned Hand, Aug 21, 2007.

  1. Learned Hand Registered Senior Member

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    361
    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!

    __________________________________________

    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.
     
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  3. Learned Hand Registered Senior Member

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    Man, no one wants to get in on this one, eh? It's not like I got a textbook in front of me with the right answer and I just sit back and laugh. I'll take my crack at it if someone volunteers to go first. Analytical reasoning at its finest guys . . .
     
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  5. Learned Hand Registered Senior Member

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    Well, this has been sitting around for about a month with no takers. So I'll simply volunteer that everyone is everyone's everyone, discounting genders, so the answer is yes.

    Anybody disagree????!!!!????
     
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  7. wanneszinnig God doesn't work 2day Registered Senior Member

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    Well it would be col to be your own grandpa here in Europe cause you get discount anywhere.

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!

     
  8. Spud Emperor solanaceous common tater Registered Senior Member

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    Hmmm!, if I was my own Granddaddy, I'd be playing cruel memory games on myself which I'd promptly forget I'd instigated and the old codger beside me in the mirror would look disdainfully at the young upstart whippersnapper and then start plucking errant eyebrow strands as he offered myself some sage advice for the new millenium and held myself interested? for hours with regaling tales of yesteryear at which point I'd slap myself around retire to his study where I'd pour myself some of his whisky and warn the silly old coot to keep his scorn to himself...etc..
     
  9. Learned Hand Registered Senior Member

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    361
    Now that's hilarious!!!! Why did you stop???
     
  10. Spud Emperor solanaceous common tater Registered Senior Member

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    Granddad dozed off and I couldn't awaken me.
     
  11. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    30,994
    "The child is father to the man".

    People seem to have been reading too much into that.
     
  12. Learned Hand Registered Senior Member

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    361
    "And the son becomes the father, and the father the son . . ."

    Sounds heroically familiar . . .
     

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