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Original poster

RIDDLE: don't look ahead to answer!! Used for student's research purposes

91 replies

Funmum1234 · 09/01/2023 04:54

Once a father and his son were travelling in a car. The car gets in an accident. The father dies on the spot and the son is grievously injured. He is taken to the hospital and he needs an operation. The doctor sees him and refuses to work saying, "He is my son". How is this possible?

OP posts:
SequinsandStilettos · 09/01/2023 04:57

I know the answer but it is a very old riddle - most know it so it won't act as proof on here, aside from confirming some of the MN demographic

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 09/01/2023 04:58

Female doctor obvs.

Original poster
Funmum1234 · 09/01/2023 04:59

Thank you for your reply! She is doing research on stereotypes and I hadn't heard of it before.. I will have a look for a different one.

OP posts:

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IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 09/01/2023 05:23

SequinsandStilettos · 09/01/2023 04:57

I know the answer but it is a very old riddle - most know it so it won't act as proof on here, aside from confirming some of the MN demographic

Very, very old. I'be know this since at least 1980!!

Bosk · 09/01/2023 05:25

I first heard this at primary school. In the early 70s.

Catspyjamas17 · 09/01/2023 05:27

I hadn't heard this before but the answer was obvious.

listsandbudgets · 09/01/2023 05:33

The doctor is his mother.

This as PPs have said is a very old one. In earlier times it might have stumped people but now female doctors are pretty commonplace

ChateauMargaux · 09/01/2023 05:50

Rather poor research though...

daybroke · 09/01/2023 05:59

Yeah that's obvious.

RedHelenB · 09/01/2023 06:09

Funmum1234 · 09/01/2023 04:59

Thank you for your reply! She is doing research on stereotypes and I hadn't heard of it before.. I will have a look for a different one.

Yes, it's a standard one I'm afraid.

hoppityscotch · 09/01/2023 06:14

She's his mum

garlictwist · 09/01/2023 06:14

This riddle was used at my work for a training on unconscious bias and I'm ashamed to say I didn't work it out.

Endersduffduff · 09/01/2023 06:22

I was taking a Behavioural Science course ar work about 12 months ago and that riddle was given then. Many people worked it out. Although it was longer and more padded out.

mincepiesandi · 09/01/2023 06:23

@garlictwist. I wonder if it's all the he's and hims that confuse your brain. For example, do you think this would have been different?

Jason and his eldest child Jack are travelling in a car. The car gets in an accident. Jason dies on the spot and Jack is grievously injured. Jack is taken to the hospital and needs an operation. The doctor sees Jack and refuses to work saying, "that's my son". How is this possible?

Pterrydactyl · 09/01/2023 06:29

I’ve seen this one many times before. I think I first came across it when I was a teenager.

catmademedoit · 09/01/2023 06:31

Same , did this as part of my training in the late 80's

daybroke · 09/01/2023 06:37

Ask her to draw a professor.

LadySpratt · 09/01/2023 06:40

Although this is an old one, the bias still exists in children. You might want to watch this. It always brings a lump to my throat.

Changechangychange · 09/01/2023 06:41

Female doctor here, and yes that is very old (dates from the US in the 1960s I think, when very few women were doctors and most women gave up their jobs on marriage), and doesn’t really work these days when 60% of doctors are female. DS5 didn’t realise men could even be doctors, because he has only met me and my female medic friends, and our female GP.

You need something involving a female bricklayer or plumber or something. Or a male nurse.

ChristmasCakeAndStilton · 09/01/2023 06:46

Another voice saying I know this one from the past, so got it instantly.

Getting people /kids to draw professions may well pull out the unconscious bias tho - draw a Surgeon, firefighter, policeman etc

RambamThankyouMam · 09/01/2023 06:56

You know she can't use this as actual research...

daybroke · 09/01/2023 06:57

Funmum1234 · 09/01/2023 04:59

Thank you for your reply! She is doing research on stereotypes and I hadn't heard of it before.. I will have a look for a different one.

Why are you doing her research for her?

hoppityscotch · 09/01/2023 07:02

Is this being posted on lots of different forums or something? If not she might be best off going on to the street and asking people?

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 09/01/2023 07:02

Yep, ancient! Plus it could be a gay male couple with kids (unthinkable when the riddle first started doing the rounds).

Also what kind of mum would refuse to operate? If it meant even 20 seconds delay while they found another doctor, I'd be straight in there. Any mum doctors care to weigh in with a view....?

EasterIsland · 09/01/2023 07:04

How is asking a hackneyed old riddle on MN even close to “research”?