Can 'nature' ever be wrong?

Question

Nature says a 12 year old girl can have sex and give birth, it says that a boy can be a dad at about the same age. Fighting is natural, we need to get rid of aggression, if we keep it 'pent up' then it builds up in 'stress'.
If something happens, isn't that 'natural'?
Why do we create laws that go against our instinct?
Won't defying our instincts and biology make us unhappy?

I'm not talking about murder or violence as that is not inherent in most peoples behaviour. I'm talking about simple impulses that are forbidden by, 'laws'.

In terms of normal, and common instincts, should we just obey our biology and nature and forget about the repression that is 'law'? Like the age of consent or agression?

Answer 1

Its not that nature is wrong - more the fact that civilised life makes some of natures happenings innapropriate. If humans were wild, then popping babies out as soon as possible may help populate the species. But with civilisation, this need has become redundant.

Answer 2

The technical term for this line of reasoning is the Naturalistic Fallacy - the claim that any natural behavior is by definition moral. Most philosophers accept that there is no necessary relation between the occurrence of a phenomenon in nature and its moral status.

Answer 3

Something being "natural" is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The measure of maturity is the ability to judge circumstances, human considerations, and to act accordingly, within one's ethical parameters.

So no, we should not (yes, I know that's a moral argument) simply do things because they feel good.

Answer 4

There are laws about these things because 12 year olds aren't educated or experienced enough to make good decisions. Remember, sex causes babies. At 12, nobody can provide everything a growing baby needs. No job, no spouse to help, only about half your education, not even living in your own house. Someone else would have to take up your responsibility. It's not nature's fault, it'll be yours if you wind up pregnant at 12.
As far as the violence goes, you can channel that energy into sports or something. If you expend that energy playing football or basketball, you'll be much healthier, plus you'll have rivals instead of enemies. It's a lot easier to deal with, plus it's legal.

Answer 5

Just because nature says you CAN doesn't mean you should. There are numerous health risks (physical) for a girl to be pregnant and have babies at age 12. For one, she's at higher risk for miscarriage and premature birth. It can also be detrimental to her development since a 12 year old is just scarcely entering puberty. (Actually- girls didn't used to start menses until about 15 or 16- it's speculated that our abundance of nutrition is responsible for earlier and earlier onset of puberty).

This isn't even touching on the emotional aspects of becoming a mother so young. I became a mother at age 19 and that was hard enough. I was scorned by friends, I was forced to grow up very fast, had a lot more stress than someone my age ever should. It's not a walk in the park at 19- it'd be Hell at 12.

Think of it this way- boys are aggressive and fight and play to be ready for real life situations later on, but doesn't mean their ready to give them machine guns and turn them lose on the battle field. Emotional and physical maturity IS something we must take into consideration and just because nature starts it sooner doesn't make it ideal.

Nature may not be wrong- but she's not always right.

Answer 6

That's a strange question.