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My friend's grandfather was 21 and his grandmother was 15 when they first started dating. Needless to say if laws were as crazy back then as they are now my fri

My friend's grandfather was 21 and his grandmother was 15 when they first started dating. Needless to say if laws were as crazy back then as they are now my friend wouldn't exist as his grandfather would have been on a registry and in prison instead of starting a family and a 60 year long marriage.

TheCowboy 9y ago
Examples like this aren't useful or practical. Society's ethics can and do evolve over time. It's not "crazy" for someone who is 21 to not be dating someone who is 15. You're arguing that the grandfather would have broken the law regardless of it existing, and is therefore innocent. Or that because a child was born out of this relationship, and grew just fine, that it makes it ethical and permissible in the general case. We don't know what the grandfather would have done. Time length of the relationship doesn't matter, and people often remain in dysfunctional marriages to the detriment of their own children. This doesn't mean your friend's grandparents are bad, but that it's just an anecdote from the past that doesn't prove the rule against modern ethics regarding age of consent.
- jliptzin 9y ago
  Ok well what about countries where the age of consent is and has been much lower than ours (Italy at 14, France 15, etc)? They don't seem to be suffering any negative effects although I haven't done much research into it.
  - TheCowboy 9y ago
    I think that's a valid point to bring up and think about. We're looking at more than one person's anecdote and there's a chance of gathering real evidence for constructing public policy.
- ageofwant 9y ago
  You imply that that ethics 'evolve' always in a positive and constructive direction. This is clearly false, especially with the subject matter at hand. You also link 'ethics' and 'lawfulness' which is pretty naive, at best.
kgwgk 9y ago
I'm not sure "dating" as in "the series of social engagements shared by a couple looking to get married" will put you on a sex offenders registry even now... Of course I don't know what did your friend's grandparents did precisely when they started "dating".

TheCowboy 9y ago

Examples like this aren't useful or practical. Society's ethics can and do evolve over time. It's not "crazy" for someone who is 21 to not be dating someone who is 15. You're arguing that the grandfather would have broken the law regardless of it existing, and is therefore innocent. Or that because a child was born out of this relationship, and grew just fine, that it makes it ethical and permissible in the general case. We don't know what the grandfather would have done. Time length of the relationship doesn't matter, and people often remain in dysfunctional marriages to the detriment of their own children. This doesn't mean your friend's grandparents are bad, but that it's just an anecdote from the past that doesn't prove the rule against modern ethics regarding age of consent.

jliptzin 9y ago
Ok well what about countries where the age of consent is and has been much lower than ours (Italy at 14, France 15, etc)? They don't seem to be suffering any negative effects although I haven't done much research into it.
- TheCowboy 9y ago
  I think that's a valid point to bring up and think about. We're looking at more than one person's anecdote and there's a chance of gathering real evidence for constructing public policy.
ageofwant 9y ago
You imply that that ethics 'evolve' always in a positive and constructive direction. This is clearly false, especially with the subject matter at hand. You also link 'ethics' and 'lawfulness' which is pretty naive, at best.

kgwgk 9y ago

I'm not sure "dating" as in "the series of social engagements shared by a couple looking to get married" will put you on a sex offenders registry even now... Of course I don't know what did your friend's grandparents did precisely when they started "dating".