Comments on: Brain Develops Risk Aversion Late http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/msnbc_-_brain_immaturity_can_be_deadly/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:28:09 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Dave Schuler http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/msnbc_-_brain_immaturity_can_be_deadly/comment-page-1/#comment-35052 Dave Schuler Wed, 02 Feb 2005 02:22:58 +0000 /?p=9066#comment-35052 Explain to me again why extending the franchise to 18 year olds was a good idea. Explain to me again why extending the franchise to 18 year olds was a good idea.

]]> By: Garrett http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/msnbc_-_brain_immaturity_can_be_deadly/comment-page-1/#comment-35038 Garrett Tue, 01 Feb 2005 23:36:22 +0000 /?p=9066#comment-35038 Our expectation of living into the eight decade is not the conditions that we developed under. In primative societies the average life is about 40 yr at best with a small percentage living beyond to act as a leavening aginst the excess of the young. This is the way that societal memory is transferred forward. It is unlikely, under these conditions that the old would be assigned ( naturally, or culturally) the high risk tasks. Our expectation of living into the eight decade is not the conditions that we developed under. In primative societies the average life is about 40 yr at best with a small percentage living beyond to act as a leavening aginst the excess of the young. This is the way that societal memory is transferred forward. It is unlikely, under these conditions that the old would be assigned ( naturally, or culturally) the high risk tasks.

]]> By: bryan http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/msnbc_-_brain_immaturity_can_be_deadly/comment-page-1/#comment-35027 bryan Tue, 01 Feb 2005 21:56:51 +0000 /?p=9066#comment-35027 Pejman clearly isn't thinking quite as "logically" as he thinks he is. Logically, someone who is older has much more invested in his/her life, including <em>children</em> and significant relationships and therefore is less likely to take risks that would put those who depend on him/her in greater danger. The survival of the species angle isn't really relevant, because it's the survival of the <em>species,</em> not every individual member of the species. Pejman clearly isn't thinking quite as "logically" as he thinks he is. Logically, someone who is older has much more invested in his/her life, including children and significant relationships and therefore is less likely to take risks that would put those who depend on him/her in greater danger.

The survival of the species angle isn't really relevant, because it's the survival of the species, not every individual member of the species.

]]> By: caltechgirl http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/msnbc_-_brain_immaturity_can_be_deadly/comment-page-1/#comment-35024 caltechgirl Tue, 01 Feb 2005 21:49:30 +0000 /?p=9066#comment-35024 Well, here's the thing. The part of our brains that is responsible for planning and executive function, which are the other components of risk aversion (beyond simple fear), the prefrontal cortex, doesn't reach full maturity until late teens, early twenties. Sure, it works your whole life, but in the teens it undergoes a pretty extensive reorganization (called pruning) and a whole different series of connections and influences underlie the same functions in adulthood. Well, here's the thing. The part of our brains that is responsible for planning and executive function, which are the other components of risk aversion (beyond simple fear), the prefrontal cortex, doesn't reach full maturity until late teens, early twenties. Sure, it works your whole life, but in the teens it undergoes a pretty extensive reorganization (called pruning) and a whole different series of connections and influences underlie the same functions in adulthood.

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