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I think parents point was that being 18 doesn't demonstrate said capacity either. Some kids are mature enough to make important decisions at 15, some kids can't
by BobbyJo 4y ago
I think parents point was that being 18 doesn't demonstrate said capacity either. Some kids are mature enough to make important decisions at 15, some kids can't make a good decision if their life depends on it at 25, so the blanket statements one way or another are obviously bad.
We chose an age that made sense to us, because the law needs an objective anchor point, not a philosophical one. However, just because the age makes sense to us legally and socially, doesn't mean it's enshrined in natural law, and we shouldn't necessarily view it as such.
- decremental 4y ago15 year old brains are not fully developed. No 15 year old, however brilliant, has the capacity to consent. Though I agree 18 is an arbitrary cut off and it should be higher. Edit: Below I am replying to the reply to this comment here because apparently 5 posts in an hour and a half is enough to trigger rate limiting for me. Yes, that is too young to make that decision. You can throw any hypothetical, emotional situation at this and the answer will be the same.
- throwaway12245 4y agoImagine you are 15 and your parents are struggling and you getting a full time job in the summer and part time job in during school would keep your younger siblings fed. That's "too young" to make that decision?
- BobbyJo 4y agoAll 15 year olds have the capacity to consent depending on the consequences of what they are consenting to. Should they be trusted to make life and death decisions for themselves? No. Should they be trusted to decide their lunch food? Mostly, yes. Do I think some 15 year olds are perfectly capable of deciding to work? yes. However, I think it's prudent for us to ignore those few and assume not, simply because there is no universal test for competence, and the vast majority are not.