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Should the voting age be 16? Should the voting age be 16?
Yes, the age should be lowered Yes, the age should be lowered
No, the voting age is fine as it is No, the voting age is fine as it is
No, the age requirement should be raised No, the age requirement should be raised
More voices should be involved in the process More voices should be involved in the process
16-year-olds are capable of formulating opinions 16-year-olds are capable of formulating opinions
They have adult responsibilities, but can't vote They have adult responsibilities, but can't vote
We should start incorporating politics as early as possible We should start incorporating politics as early as possible
The legal age of an adult is eighteen The legal age of an adult is eighteen
Responsibilities are really starting Responsibilities are really starting
If someone can be drafted, they should be able to vote If someone can be drafted, they should be able to vote
Life experience should be required Life experience should be required
The age category of 18-29 has very low turnout The age category of 18-29 has very low turnout
Young people are easily influenced and manipulated Young people are easily influenced and manipulated
The brain isn't fully developed until 25 The brain isn't fully developed until 25
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Should the voting age be 16?
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No, the age requirement should be raised

< (3 of 3)

The brain isn't fully developed until 25

Teenagers do not have a fully developed brain, and so should not be expected to vote rationally.
< (4 of 4)

The Argument

Several studies show that the brain isn't fully developed until the age of 25. The frontal cortex is the last thing to finish developing, which is essentially responsible for what we know as "teenage behavior" - actions that continue from high school, into college, and even into a person's twenties. Because of this late development, the minimum voting age should be raised to 25. It should be a requirement to have a fully developed brain before one is fully allowed to make decisions for society as a whole.

Counter arguments

Although the brain isn't fully developed, it's important to expose young and growing minds to politics as early as possible. Even if mistakes are made, they are incorporated into the system and are able to learn from previous errors to fully solidify a political stance in the future.

Premises

[P1] The brain isn't fully developed until 25, altering decision-making skills. [P2] Accurate voting requires logical decision-making.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] The decisions are not necessarily bad. [Rejecting P2] Decisions made before 25 still matter, and still count.

References

This page was last edited on Monday, 30 Mar 2020 at 11:49 UTC

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