A Relative Problem

Professor Quesay was very pleased with his research on a recently discovered community. One family had invited him to a special dinner in honour of Grandfather Alloi's seventieth birthday -- and as that was a mark of great respect he said he would be honoured to go. Grandfather Alloi, together with his slightly younger wife, Grandma Alloi, had been his main oral history source for many fascinating accounts of the traditions of the society. These people were descendants of an ancient Greek society who had left their homes in Mesopotamia to set themselves up on a remote peninsula in the Americas. The venerable -- but still very sprightly -- old man had seemed particularly keen to tell someone all he knew.

The dinner was an elaborate affair. During the second introductory course of dried fish and asparagus roots, Professor Quesay noticed that the guest of honour, Grandfather Alloi, was not there. Grandma Alloi and the other guests were most surprised at the question. Surely the learned Professor had realised, the dinner was in honour of the seventieth birthday of Grandfather Alloi? And he was familiar with the customs of the Alloi?

'Yes, yes,' said Quesay, embarrassed at appearing ignorant. But he still couldn't see Grandfather Alloi. And what was it that the Alloi had had as their particular custom for the old?

Just then the main course arrives. It is a large steaming soup tureen with bits of meat floating in it. And around the tureen are what looks like ... Grandfather Alloi's spectacles! Just then Quesay remembers the traditional habits of the Alloi. It is one that he has had many an interesting debate at college defending. The Alloi believe that when one's parents reach seventy years of age, it is the duty of the children to kill them. And as a mark of respect, the family eat the deceased!

Suddenly Professor Quesay doesn't feel so good. He has lost his appetite. However, he knows that not to eat the special dish would cause great offence. It is, indeed, considered to put a curse on the soul of the departed, and to prevent them going to the next world. In the view of the Alloi, there is no greater wickedness.

Professor Quesay is a great defender of different cultural traditions. He considers it very important that everyone should be free to follow their own beliefs, except where it interferes with someone else's rights, and that the notion of objective moral values is actually just another form of 'Western imperialism'.

The killing of Grandfather Alloi has upset him, but cannot be undone. Can there be any reason not to join in the meal with his earlier gusto?

--from Cohen, M. 1999. 101 Philosophy Problems. London: Routledge.