ThomasDoubts Posted January 13, 2014 Posted January 13, 2014 I'm wondering how we should define "child." It might be a bit of an annoying question, but I think it's clearly a difficult thing to define. In the animal kingdom, I think we generally say an animal has reached adulthood when it's capable of reproduction. Obviously, I wouldn't call a eleven year old girl an adult because she began menstration. Likewise, I'm uncomfortable with an invisible Hagrid man coming at the stroke of midnight on your 16th or 18th or 21st birthday to stamp you with the official seal of adulthood. Would brain scans looking for a threshold level of maturity be the way to go? I don't know. Has Stefan ever offered a definition? How would you define the term "child." I'm having a hard time coming up with any criterion I'm satisfied with.
dsayers Posted January 13, 2014 Posted January 13, 2014 Obviously, I wouldn't call a eleven year old girl an adult because she began menstration. Why not? A human's personality is mostly formed by about five years old. Double that to add the wisdom of time passing and experience that much more of the world. Then physical maturation. It used to be this way back when life expectancy was much shorter. Longer life shouldn't lead to drawing out childhood, especially since present day, this translates to extended abuse.
ThomasDoubts Posted January 13, 2014 Author Posted January 13, 2014 Because I (25) don't think it would be right for me to screw a consenting eleven year old, among other reasons. I'm not against considering people adults sooner, but I have difficulty understanding the conceptual distinction between child and adult. What makes you a member of one category or the other? Are you saying it's the ability to reproduce? I'm not sure I'm on board with that. Fundementally, that means "child" is just shorthand for "he/she can't make babies" and adult is shorthand for "he/she can make babies." Is that all there is to it? I wonder if the dichotomy isn't just an illusion. There are just humans, and some have been alive longer than others. Humans that haven't been around long don't know much, and can't do much. That changes as they learn.
dsayers Posted January 13, 2014 Posted January 13, 2014 I don't know that I fully understand the question. Biologically speaking, the word adult refers to the physically developed specimen. Is it that you're not asking about child/adult, but are instead referring to personhood or moral responsibility? I'm no expert but it seems to me that far too many people use the word child to treat children as if they're lesser humans. Parents choose to bring a child into the world. Assuming they nurture the child and teach it to reason, the child will be more rational than most adults. We mostly don't get this simply because abuse is so prevalent.
ThomasDoubts Posted January 13, 2014 Author Posted January 13, 2014 Is it entirely physically developed? So an eleven year old girl that's had her period is physically developed? I would argue not. Is it that you're not asking about child/adult, but are instead referring to personhood or moral responsibility? I'm no expert but it seems to me that far too many people use the word child to treat children as if they're lesser humans. I think you may have put your finger on it here. I guess what I'm getting at here are the "age of consent" and "age of majority" ideas. There seems to me to be no philosophical justification for either as they exist. Both imply that Hagrid comes at midnight at gives you powers you didn't have before midnight. It just seems like throwing darts and going with the number you hit. People develop at different times. Parents are responsible for their children. Why does that cease (legally) when the child turns 18 and not 17 and 3/4; and not 21; and not 16. It's a tad arbitrary. Would a stateless society recognize a 15 year old as an adult for all intents and purposes if they run away from home and declare themselves emancipated? I suppose some people would, and some people wouldn't; maybe that's how it ought to be, I dunno. As for the age of consent; the only fundemental change that occurs justifying an altered status is the ability to reproduce. The problem is; I'm uncomfortable with the position that an 11 year old can consent to sex with a 50 year old. As for the age of majority; there doesn't appear to be to be any fundemental change that occurs justifying an altered status. The only thing I can think of, is one making a public declaration of adulthood, and responsibility for one's actions. ie; everyone gets to pick when they emancipate themselves and enjoy the benefits and responsibilities thereof.
Recommended Posts