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Originally Posted by lurkette
Age of consent (at least in the US) is fairly arbitrary, but it may be the best thing we've got. Would those of you who are arguing that a 14-year-old should be able to choose to marry agree that a 14-year-old accused of murder should be eligible for the death penalty? No matter how mature a young person is, it is scientifically factual that their brains, as well as their cognitive and executive functions, have not matured to adult levels until somewhere between age 17-20. They simply don't understand long-term cause and effect in the same ways as adults, and often don't really understand the full consequences of their actions. I can provide you with the peer-reviewed references if you really want.
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Hasn't nature played a cruel trick on us? When we reach our teens our interest and desire for sex will probably never be greater (at least for boys)and yet according to "peer-reviewed" references we are not mentally prepared. One would think that we would have evolved so that these things would happen simultaineously. I have always wondered why we should be wired this way. I wonder if nature just may be smarter than us and perhaps the age of consent should be reconsidered.