“In most countries of the world, adolescents below the legal age of majority (adulthood) may be emancipated in some manner: through marriage, economic self-sufficiency, educational degree or diploma, military service, or obtaining medical conditions in a form of diseases such as AIDS, HPV, or other STDs.”
More to the point, equal rights isn’t a good idea because it’s just and right, but rather because it’s a defensive position against rulers who grant extra rights to privileged groups.
So then the legal system should award status based on usefulness and intelligence, not age as in the present system.
Usefulness to whom?
Well, no.
Status is a informal, social concept. The legal system doesn’t have much to do with “awarding” it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emancipation_of_minors
But should stupid adults have no rights?
Fewer rights, perhaps.
More to the point, equal rights isn’t a good idea because it’s just and right, but rather because it’s a defensive position against rulers who grant extra rights to privileged groups.
/me checks into legal status of retarded adults & vegetables
Dunno about ‘should’, but they don’t have very much beyond what kids have...
Usefulness to who? Isn’t it enough for people to be useful to themselves if they’re not harmful to others?