Is incest ever understandable?

[Nate Hunter]

A first cousin has the same grandparents as you -- your father's brother's son is a first cousin, for example.

Here's a chart...


G1: Johnathan
G2: Clark Henry
G3: James Gary
G4: Lily Albert

In this chart, James and Gary are first cousins. Their children, Lily and Albert, are second cousins. James and Albert, however, are first cousins once removed. This is because James is the first cousin of Albert's father (first cousin), and Albert is one generation further from their common ancestor (once removed). This similar level of relationship keeps going on down -- James and Albert's son would be first cousins twice removed, while the daughter of Lily and the son of Albert would be third cousins.

Usually upon reaching a certain decgree of separateness in relationship, based upon the closest living relative, it is not longer considered incest -- third cousins, for example, are often cited by people I know as being "fair game" for dating, marrying, and even having children with. Of course, the further back a common ancestor is, the better if you want to avoid inbreeding.