Adulthood
I was thinking about this 'cause of a science fiction short story I read...Spider Robinson, stuff about children divorcing parents, a LOW age of majority, and all familial relationships after said age being voluntary...
What makes a person an adult?
I'm not speaking scientifically or legally...but the essence of adulthood.
Cause we've got:
Fourteen year olds who behave more maturely than thirty year olds.
Individuals who lose their competance due to injury, accident, or age.
Individuals who never develop out of childhood due to some sort of physiological effect or injury.
So we're not talking sexual maturity here- I don't think very many people are volunteering to tag that ten year old girl who's had her first period and is now fertile as an "Adult".
Here's mine:
A person is an "adult" (competent, capable individual morally entitled to make all decisions affecting soley their personal welfare) when they are willing and able to either
a) Thrive in a beneficial or survive in a neutral/adverse environment, including the ability to soley support of all personal needs of self and any dependents voluntarily obtained. This should be accomplished within any climate in which it is socially, physically, and legally possible.
b) Be an agent for the change of the social and legal climate to enable an individual of their qualifications to fulfil condition "a".
Note that the phrasing of condition "a" takes into account individuals who are dependent on others as a result of purely physiological limitations.
This means that I believe:
That the age of consent for sex is artificial
The age at which the right to vote is obtained is artificial
The age at which drinking is legal is artifical
etc.
Well, obviously, me. Because there are no sure ways to measure the level to which an individual is able to fulfill conditions a or b, there needs to be artifical measurements. Still.
Obviously, I have too much space in my head.
What makes a person an adult?
I'm not speaking scientifically or legally...but the essence of adulthood.
Cause we've got:
Fourteen year olds who behave more maturely than thirty year olds.
Individuals who lose their competance due to injury, accident, or age.
Individuals who never develop out of childhood due to some sort of physiological effect or injury.
So we're not talking sexual maturity here- I don't think very many people are volunteering to tag that ten year old girl who's had her first period and is now fertile as an "Adult".
Here's mine:
A person is an "adult" (competent, capable individual morally entitled to make all decisions affecting soley their personal welfare) when they are willing and able to either
a) Thrive in a beneficial or survive in a neutral/adverse environment, including the ability to soley support of all personal needs of self and any dependents voluntarily obtained. This should be accomplished within any climate in which it is socially, physically, and legally possible.
b) Be an agent for the change of the social and legal climate to enable an individual of their qualifications to fulfil condition "a".
Note that the phrasing of condition "a" takes into account individuals who are dependent on others as a result of purely physiological limitations.
This means that I believe:
That the age of consent for sex is artificial
The age at which the right to vote is obtained is artificial
The age at which drinking is legal is artifical
etc.
Well, obviously, me. Because there are no sure ways to measure the level to which an individual is able to fulfill conditions a or b, there needs to be artifical measurements. Still.
Obviously, I have too much space in my head.