Talk:Prohibited degree of kinship

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consang.net has a series of articles and maps which refute the statement that "inbreeding is taboo in nearly all cultures".

The conclusion is that there are large parts of the world where it is desirable or required to marry within the family. In some areas, the cultural and support advantages of close intermarrying outweigh the genetic problems.

This page should be rewritten for a more nuanced outlook.

I am not adequately expert to provide a solid alternative.

--Ted 18:27, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

Ahem. "Nearly." Surely, "some areas" can be found that are exceptions to almost any social generalization. The article neither supports nor condemns inbreeding, and does not say that it is taboo to everybody. If you want to place more variety in the article, edit the thing. 68.103.194.207 08:39, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Calculation of degrees of kinship

The article says,

[T]he Roman Catholic Church's ban on marriage within the fourth degree of relationship (third cousins) lasted from 1550 to 1917[.]

If third cousins means those who have a common great-great-grandparent, then under current (1983) canon law they are related in the eighth degree of the collateral line.

Were degrees of kinship calculated differently before 1917, or 1983? If so, a comment is needed on the quoted text; if not, a correction is needed.Jm546 14:47, 9 November 2007 (UTC)