Is castrating young boys ethical?

[Violet]

I didn't know they taught biological development in philosophy. However, I'm not talking about brain development. I'm talking about cognitive development. You still haven't even skimmed that article, huh?

I already know what the article says, and you know I do: we've had a very similar discussion before. Don't make the same mistakes as you did last time.

We're using the same cognition, right? "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses."

Because if we are, then I'm afraid that is closely related how much (and the quality of that which) we have experienced, and it is *not a biological concern at all*... it is a psychological and philosophical one (and chemistry, but you don't care) And if it *IS* a biological concern: it is only so as far as brain development, and no further.

I think you believe what you want and no amount to science will change it.

I think you make ridiculous assertions, and no amount of me telling you that you're doing so will stop them

Fine. Children have the same cognitive abilities as adults. But wait-- They don't! In this context, we're talking about pre-pubesent kids.

You have to be using a different cognition than I am, because as far as I can tell, the only thing separating the two cognitively is experience and maybe a skosh of senses (not enough to really matter much, mind... I would argue that their perceptivity increases, if indeed anything).

These aren't teens (who have reached Formal Operational Stage, since you didn't read the article), they're children who haven't hit puberty.

You're arguing a different stage of the brain than last time (still doesn't matter). Does this mystical event only occur when their pituitary gland goes 'oh hey, time to start dat baby-maker up.'?

They probably aren't aware of the function of their balls, let alone the consequences of removing them. Not amount to reasoning and explanation will help these children to understand how this would effect their future love lives, their abilities to have children, the lack of testosterone, ect.

If you can teach them the function of mathematics, and the consequences for not following mathematics... and if you can make them aware of their hair and the consequences for growing it out too long: You can teach them the function of their balls (they had a class on this when I was like, 11. I wanted to stay home. The other girls got their class on this a year earlier and were getting it again, and my parents didn't vouch for me to go with them so...). And I had known the function of them since I was 8 and discovered the internet on our super-slow modem. I think it was before wikipedia, even... not sure.

Sure, I didn't know the *absolutely positive* consequences for me removing my balls at the time, but that's me, and I wasn't certain of things at the time. Other people might be deadly serious at the same age, and THAT is the key. I mean, if they maintain that for a year or two years or THREE YEARS: let them do it. Seriously. Fucking get them castrated. If you haven't talked them out of it in three years with your reasoning: you're never gonna, because they understand what you don't: what they want.

Course, that could change in five years. So what: it was their choice, and you fought them hard on it. I'm sure you won't be complaining about your increased influence on their life when they'd normally be hard to control. Reasoning and explanation *go a long long ways* to helping them understand what it means for their future, and hey: pictures help, demonstrating these things to them helps. Crying that they aren't old enough to watch sex, not ready to see surgery, emotionally unable to read testimonies (BOTH POSITIVE *AND* NEGATIVE) of people who had the same done to them or who got such done to them... and these same people believe that children are unable to process these things that "oh they just wouldn't understand!"?

They probably have never even kissed someone romantically or thought about children as anything other than their peers. Your argument is based on a word game about the wrong topic.

I dunno... I was kissing jessie romantically when I was five and she four and a half. I was discussing marriage with an older woman and thinking about what it meant when I was four. I went through childhood, and I remember a lot of it... and that's where my argument is based: My experience as a child, however exceptional it was... remained an experience. And I've been told stories of my childhood by my mother, father, friends, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. All people who have experienced a part of that childhood, and that's where my argument is based: experience, and thinking about it.

As far as cognition is concerned... I'm fairly far ahead of the game here. Don't make me turn this into a demonstration off of a word game, I do it all the time, and have afforded you a great deal more respect than I normally would have.