Age of Reason

Age of Reason
Age of Reason: • The name given to that period of human life at which persons are deemed to begin to be morally responsible
Age of Reason:     Age of Reason

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    The name given to that period of human life at which persons are deemed to begin to be morally responsible. This, as a rule, happens at the age of seven, or thereabouts, though the use of reason requisite for moral discernment may come before, or may be delayed until notably after, that time. At this age Christians come under the operation of ecclesiastical laws, such as the precept of assistance at Mass on Sundays and holydays, abstinence from meat on certain days, and annual confessions, should they have incurred mortal sin. The obligation of Easter Communion literally understood applies to all who have reached "the years of discretion"; but according to the practical interpretation of the Church it is not regarded as binding children just as soon as they are seven years old. At the age of reason a person is juridically considered eligible to act as witness to a marriage, as sponsor at baptism or confirmation, and as a party to the formal contract of betrothal; at this age one is considered capable of receiving extreme unction, of being promoted to first tonsure and minor orders, of being the incumbent of a simple benefice (beneficium simplex) if the founder of it should have so provided; and, lastly, is held liable to ecclesiastical censures. In the present discipline, however, persons do not incur these penalties until they reach the age of puberty, unless explicitly included in the decree imposing them. The only censure surely applicable to persons of this age is for the violation of the clausura of nuns, while that for the maltreatment, suadente diabolo, of clerics is probably so.

    Ferraris. Bibliotheca prompta jur. can. s.v. Aetas, (Rome, 1844); Wernz, Jus Decretalium (Rome, 1899).

    JOSEPH F. DELANEY

    Transcribed by Tony Camele

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age of reason — n. The age at which a child is deemed responsible for his or her own actions, usually 7 years of age. The Essential Law Dictionary. Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008. age of reason … Law dictionary
Age of Reason — n. 1. a period of European history in the 18th cent. noted for belief in the ability of reason to discover truth, shape society, etc.: see THE ENLIGHTENMENT 2. [a r ] the age at which a child is presumed to know right from wrong and be capable of … English World dictionary
Age of Reason — noun a movement in Europe from about 1650 until 1800 that advocated the use of reason and individualism instead of tradition and established doctrine (Freq. 1) the Enlightenment brought about many humanitarian reforms • Syn: ↑Enlightenment •… … Useful english dictionary
age of reason — noun Seven years of age, at which age a person is morally liable for the sins that he or she commits. On September tenth the morning of my seventh birthday I came downstairs to the kitchen, where my mother was washing the dishes and my father… … Wiktionary
age of reason — See age of discretion; Paine s Age of Reason … Ballentine's law dictionary
Age of Reason (disambiguation) — Age of reason may refer to the following:* 17th century philosophy, as a successor of the Renaissance and a predecessor to the Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment in its long form of 1600 1800 * The Age of Reason , a book by Thomas Paine… … Wikipedia
age of reason — Age at which a child is deemed to be capable of acting responsibly; commonly the age of 7. In general, one between the ages of 7 and 14 is rebuttably presumed to be incapable of committing a crime. Below the age of 7 a child is conclusively… … Black's law dictionary
age of reason — Age at which a child is deemed to be capable of acting responsibly; commonly the age of 7. In general, one between the ages of 7 and 14 is rebuttably presumed to be incapable of committing a crime. Below the age of 7 a child is conclusively… … Black's law dictionary
Age of Reason — Age′ of Rea′son n. why the 17th and 18th centuries in France, England, etc Compare enlightenment 4) … From formal English to slang
Age of Reason (album) — Infobox Album | Name = Age of Reason Type = Album Artist = John Farnham Released = July 25 1988 (AUS) Recorded = 1988 Genre = Pop Rock Adult Contemporary Length = 77:50 Label = RCA, BMG Producer = Ross Fraser Reviews = Last album = This album =… … Wikipedia

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