Age of Adulthood
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Original Question
Is it a logical fallacy to say that an 18 year old is not an adult until their 21 because they can't drink, smoke, or get a gun in most states? I've heard many adults say this and I wanted to know your opinion. Is there a difference in a "legal adult" and someone who has become an adult? Does the age of majority count in this context?
Answers
1I see no logical fallacy, just general ambiguity (i.e., the poorly defined term "adult"). Adulthood is generally a socially constructed concept with a legal and biological counterpart. The solution to such an argument is simple: ask what they mean by adult. It sounds as if they are defining an adult as one who can drink, get a gun, etc. That is even more arbitrary then the rights that one gets at 18 (legal adulthood) and certainly more arbitrary than when one is fully grown or developed (biological).
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