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[Violet]

Perhaps if there was a way to evaluate maturity, self-sufficiency, and metal stability of a person: those could offer more accurate guides as to what a person is ready for.

Age means little about maturity... but it is exactly maturity which we are concerned with So why judge maturity level off of anything BUT maturity?

Age means little about self-sufficiency... but it is exactly self-sufficiency which we are concerned with So who judge off self-sufficiency off anything BUT self-sufficiency?

And the same can be said for mental stability.

[Meatball]

I disagree. Age says a lot about maturity.

Only after 16 or 17 years does it generally start to get remotely debatable.

[Violet]

Not at all You would agree that there is a great maturity difference between a mentally stable 10 year old, and a mentally stable 60 year old, correct?

But how much difference is there between that one year old... and a three year old? Not a great deal... And a 5 year old from an 8 year old? Very similar.

Age only allows for more time in which to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and experience... it does not dictate that one does. So long as people are different: there can be no line drawn. It is quite true that the vast majority falls between 15 and 25 when it comes to having the maturity level expected of an adult... but there are some rare individuals who fall outside of that.... and those individuals deserve to not to be held back nor pushed forward into having increased rights.

Age dictates nothing. It is experience from which we derive maturity.

[Tiberius]

What is a non-criminal pedophile?

A person who is attracted to minors but doesn't molest them. "Child molester" is the term for people who have molested children; paedophile just means someone who is attracted to them.

[Meatball]

It is quite true that the vast majority falls between 15 and 25 when it comes to having the maturity level expected of an adult... but there are some rare individuals who fall outside of that....

So you're agreeing with me, but demanding a perfect system of idenifying maturity in outliers?

Unrealistic.

Age is our single best identifier of maturity without doing a rigourous psychoanalysis on every subject, all the time.

Generally, a 20 year old is more mature than a 15 year old. Generally, a 15 year old is more mature than a 10 year old. Generally, a 30 year old is more mature than a 20 year old. This is simple stuff, and while I don't have any sources, I'm sure statistics would fall on my side.

Edit: On that note, how do you quantify maturity?

Edit again: If you can't identify a maturity gap between a 1 year old and a 3 year old, this discussion is over.

[Violet]

What is a non-criminal pedophile?

A person who is attracted to minors but doesn't molest them. "Child molester" is the term for people who have molested children; paedophile just means someone who is attracted to them.

Ah I see now.

[Eilonnwy]

Not at all You would agree that there is a great maturity difference between a mentally stable 10 year old, and a mentally stable 60 year old, correct?

But how much difference is there between that one year old... and a three year old? Not a great deal... And a 5 year old from an 8 year old? Very similar.

Actually, that's completely wrong. Mental capacities between a 1 yr old and 3 year old are HUGE as well as a 5 year old from an eight year old. This is the crucial time when brains are developing very rapidly. Cognition and understanding are vastly different from year to year. It's only when you get older that these gaps begin to narrow. A 15 year old would never date a 12 year old, but no one would raise an eyebrow at a a 35 year old dating a 32 year old.

Age only allows for more time in which to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and experience... it does not dictate that one does. So long as people are different: there can be no line drawn. It is quite true that the vast majority falls between 15 and 25 when it comes to having the maturity level expected of an adult... but there are some rare individuals who fall outside of that.... and those individuals deserve to not to be held back nor pushed forward into having increased rights.

Age dictates nothing. It is experience from which we derive maturity.

You directly contradict yourself. You admit that age allows time to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and experience and then dismiss it and say it's all about experience, which you just admitted Age plays a major role in.

A 15 year old will never have the same maturity level as a 25 year old, but it's a different story when you're talking about a 45 year old and 55 year old.

Age plays a huge role. It's not the only factor in determining maturity, but it is an important one, especially children and teens. Meatball is correct in his post above.

[Violet]

It is quite true that the vast majority falls between 15 and 25 when it comes to having the maturity level expected of an adult... but there are some rare individuals who fall outside of that....

So you're agreeing with me, but demanding a perfect system of idenifying maturity in outliers?

Unrealistic.

Age is our single best identifier of maturity without doing a rigourous psychoanalysis on every subject, all the time.

Generally, a 20 year old is more mature than a 15 year old. Generally, a 15 year old is more mature than a 10 year old. Generally, a 30 year old is more mature than a 20 year old. This is simple stuff, and while I don't have any sources, I'm sure statistics would fall on my side.

Edit: On that note, how do you quantify maturity?

Edit again: If you can't identify a maturity gap between a 1 year old and a 3 year old, this discussion is over.

The maturity gap is there... but aging has no influence over it. An example: I am 5 years old, and I end up in a coma for 50 years. I am now 55 years old... with the maturity level of a young child.

Generally, a 20 year old is more mature than a 15 year old. Generally, a 15 year old is more mature than a 10 year old. Generally, a 30 year old is more mature than a 20 year old. This is simple stuff, and while I don't have any sources, I'm sure statistics would fall on my side.

What word are you using there? The fact is: age does not measure maturity: It measures how long you have lived.

[Meatball]

What word are you using there? The fact is: age does not measure maturity: It measures how long you have lived.

I'm saying generally because it's impossible to speak for all cases, which is why we don't have laws for every citizen in a country. We deal with statistics to make sweeping categorizations. Generally (9 times out of 10) a 15 y/o is more mature than a 10 y/o.

What do you propose is a better(feasible) way of categorizing maturity that has no margin of error?

[Violet]

Not at all You would agree that there is a great maturity difference between a mentally stable 10 year old, and a mentally stable 60 year old, correct?

But how much difference is there between that one year old... and a three year old? Not a great deal... And a 5 year old from an 8 year old? Very similar.

Actually, that's completely wrong. Mental capacities between a 1 yr old and 3 year old are HUGE as well as a 5 year old from an eight year old. This is the crucial time when brains are developing very rapidly. Cognition and understanding are vastly different from year to year. It's only when you get older that these gaps begin to narrow. A 15 year old would never date a 12 year old, but no one would raise an eyebrow at a a 35 year old dating a 32 year old.

Age only allows for more time in which to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and experience... it does not dictate that one does. So long as people are different: there can be no line drawn. It is quite true that the vast majority falls between 15 and 25 when it comes to having the maturity level expected of an adult... but there are some rare individuals who fall outside of that.... and those individuals deserve to not to be held back nor pushed forward into having increased rights.

Age dictates nothing. It is experience from which we derive maturity.

You directly contradict yourself. You admit that age allows time to obtain wisdom, knowledge, and experience and then dismiss it and say it's all about experience, which you just admitted Age plays a major role in.

A 15 year old will never have the same maturity level as a 25 year old, but it's a different story when you're talking about a 45 year old and 55 year old.

Age plays a huge role. It's not the only factor in determining maturity, but it is an important one, especially children and teens. Meatball is correct in his post above.

They are huge, but they are in no way as huge as the difference between a 5 year old, and a 20 year old. In comparison: 1 to 3 difference is not much. That period of development is vital to cognition and understanding... but so vital is every day. That the days are more vital to development when at a younger age does not alter the fact that they are still vital to the defining of an elderly individual. Huge... but the learning process involved is no different at any age.

Secondly, I do not contradict myself, see my previous response to meatball. Age gives you TIME in which to do it... again: it does not say that you must do it.

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What word are you using there? The fact is: age does not measure maturity: It measures how long you have lived.

I'm saying generally because it's impossible to speak for all cases, which is why we don't have laws for every citizen in a country. We deal with statistics to make sweeping categorizations. Generally (9 times out of 10) a 15 y/o is more mature than a 10 y/o.

What do you propose is a better(feasible) way of categorizing maturity that has no margin of error?

Phycological examinations. It may not be as feasible with today's knowledge of the brain... but it will be one day.