Many religious traditions define “the age of reason”  as being seven years of age.  This week I would like to talk about that concept a bit more with respect to children and criminal responsibility and also to connect the discussion to Piaget theory.  Please follow this link and read this New York Times article:

Then in chapter 7 of the textbook “Development Across The Life Span” 9th Edition by Robert S. Feldman, read pp. 226 -232, “Piaget’s Stage of Preoperational Thinking.”  Then, complete the following questions.  Make sure to number your answers and present your answers in order and total word count for the paper must be at least 300 words.

1. Summarize the New York Times article in a sentence or two, and then discuss which part of the article struck you most and why.

2. Do a little research on Piaget’s stages, and give a link to a website you find helpful in understanding the concepts of Piaget’s stage of Preoperational Thinking.

3.  Give a thoughtful and detailed answer to this question:  “How might the Piaget principles of conservation and transformation(define each briefly) relate to the question of whether a child younger than 7 should be charged with a crime.”

4.   Give a thoughtful and detailed answer to this question:  “How might the Piaget principle of egocentrism (define briefly) relate to the question of  whether a child younger than 7 should be charged with a crime.”

5.  Conclude with a brief analysis of why an understanding of human growth and development is necessary for a fair and humane legal system.