Thursday, August 31
Good work in class today. I know it was a long and dull lecture, but the material covered today will carry through for the entire semester. The highlights of the class were;
1.) What all communication scholars have in common
2.) Types of questions we ask,
Definition
Fact
Value
Policy
3.) Different epistemology
Tenacity
Authority
A priori
Science
4.) Running list of what Science is
5.) 4 Purposes of Science
6.) 6 steps in the scientific method
Question for discussion,
Let us suppose Ohio was considering lowering the drinking age to 19 (Darn Canadians). This is a question of policy. In order to answer this question the best we can, what are some questions of definition, fact, and policy we should ask? Work off your classmates' comments to create a discussion. In addition to commenting and writing your name, mark your section number on your posting (12:30 class = 1, 3:45 = 2). Have a great first weekend back.
1.) What all communication scholars have in common
2.) Types of questions we ask,
Definition
Fact
Value
Policy
3.) Different epistemology
Tenacity
Authority
A priori
Science
4.) Running list of what Science is
5.) 4 Purposes of Science
6.) 6 steps in the scientific method
Question for discussion,
Let us suppose Ohio was considering lowering the drinking age to 19 (Darn Canadians). This is a question of policy. In order to answer this question the best we can, what are some questions of definition, fact, and policy we should ask? Work off your classmates' comments to create a discussion. In addition to commenting and writing your name, mark your section number on your posting (12:30 class = 1, 3:45 = 2). Have a great first weekend back.
posted by Dr. Jeffrey Bolt at 10:49 PM
14 Comments:
If Ohio were to lower the drinking age to 19 years old, I would first need to DEFINE what an adequate "drinking age" should be. For instance, it is currently 21 years of age to "legally" drink, but most of us have had plenty of adult beverages prior to being 21. Shoot, I may have had my first taste of the "sauce" at 15. The FACT of the matter is, what do we know about being a responsible drinker at 21 versus that of 19. I mean, I know plenty of "older" people who abuse the drinking privilege a lot. In my opinion, should the POLICY of the legal drinking age in Ohio be lowered to 19 or not. I would say it could be lowered to 19 only if the the person consuming the alcohol would submit to having a designated driver, should he/she decide to party and drive but could not be permitted to go to a 21 and older bar. So one could drink at 19 but there would be restrictions. Just my thoughts, because I am definitely of drinking age.
V.P. # 1
If Ohio were to lower the drinking age to 19, I think you would have to define or explain why 19 is a appropriate age for drinking legally. What makes a difference between 19 and 21, and why would you change the decision already made. Fact is that 21 is the drinking age here in America, but whose to say that there isn't a more responible 19 year old out there. Most other countries don't even have a drinking age that is enforced becuase drinking isn't that big of a deal. To change the policy of the legal drinking age, at this moment in our country I think would cause more problems then help.Reguardless to if the law really was changing most 19 year old already drink and do pretty much what a 21 year old does, with the exception of being able to drink at bars. So just commenting on whoevers blog is above me, having a 19 year old sign something that 21 year doesn't wouldn't be benefically because 19 year olds already drink and drive along with 21 year olds so it wouldnt work i don't think.
A.K #1
If Ohio were to lower the drinking age from 21 to 19, you would first have to give a clear definition of "drinking age." What makes a person suitable to drink? Does age really make a difference, or is it how responsible and smart a person is about consuming alcohol? A clear explanation would need to be given as to why 19 years of age would be legal. The fact is that 21 is the legal drinking age in America, but we are one of a few countries that actually have a drinking age. If you think about it, most people who live in countries with no drinking age hardly have problems with young adults being irresponsible and stupid when consuming alcohol. This may be because they are used to socially drinking and therefore they don't think drinking is "cool" or a big deal like it is here in America. So, should the policy of 21 being the legal drinking age be dropped to 19? In my opinion, I agree with the person above; I don't think that lowering the drinking age would be beneficial because I think it will just want to make younger kids (under the age of 19) deviate from the law; I mean, come one, they already do. Many young adults break the law enough as it is so what is the point in changing anything? Kids under the legal age will always find a way of getting around it. The law can't decide for us if we are going to be responsible individuals with adult actions. Therefore, I don't see the point in going through all the hastle of changing the law because if the drinking age were lowered to 19, I see the same things happening that occur now with young adults.
Krysten Reed #2
In some countries, such as the Netherlands, Germany and Austria, one has to be 16 to buy beer or wine and 18 to buy distilled alcoholic beverages. A question of fact might be "how is that working out for them in terms of crime,rates of fatality and drunk driving, and otherwise? A question of policy would be whether we should institute something like that here in accordance with the findings.
Jacqueline Jezek (1)
If Ohio was to lower the drinking age we would have to be able to find out if the majority of 19 year olds are mature enough to handle such a huge responsibility. In order to accomplish such a huge task maybe some sort of survey should be done. The fact is that kids are drinking way before the age of 21 and 19, so if a lower drinking age was intact that may stop the hype of drinking. Like A.K. said most other countries don't even have a drinking age for the fact that drinking is not a big deal. If we start to act like drinking is not a big deal either, maybe 19 year olds would not be affected as much by alcohol.
Melissa Giancola #1
I think it would be extremely hard to define “drinking age.” We would have to find the facts, researching what the positive and negative effects of younger people drinking would be. I definitely agree with Krysten Reed above. People are all different and you would have to put people’s individual responsibility level into consideration. At what age do people handle the responsibilities of drinking? Do they really ever at any certain age? How would someone be able to demonstrate whether he/she can make responsible decisions while consuming alcohol? I also agree with the fact that if we did lower the drinking age to 19, then people younger than 19 will want to get involved with alcohol at even a younger age. I think that if we ever really wanted to change the drinking age a lot more would have to be done. For example, parents would have to be involved; they would have to teach their kids right from the start how alcohol should be drank responsibility and in moderation. That’s how many other foreign countries operate and they seem to be doing better off than us in this area. I just don’t see how lowering the drinking age without taking any other actions would help anything or anyone.
Deborah Pritchard #1
If Ohio were to lower the drinking age from 21 to 19 you would have to explain why 19 is a better age, what makes a person responsible enough to drink at 19, and what would really be an appropriate drinking age. It would be hard to define an appropriate drinking age because who is to say that someone is even mature enough to drink at 21. It is all a matter of opinion. There would be facts to why 19 might be a better age than 21 and why 21 is a better age than 19. The age old argument that you can go to war and fight for your country at 18 so why can't you sit and drink a beer is one argument that the drinking age should be lower. In my opinion teens are already drinking by 19 so why not lower the age, but it really comes down to maturity and responsibility and if Ohio teens are really responsible and mature enough to handle being able to legally drink at 19.
M.G. #2
1. Definition- What is something?
2. Fact- What do we know?
3. Value- Is something good/ bad?
4. Policy- What should/ should not be?
Questions of definition:
What is too young?
What does mature mean?
Define adult?
Is nineteen old enough to use alcohol?
What is old enough to use alcohol?
What does old enough mean?
What are the potential ramifications of reducing the drinking age to nineteen?
What has happened in the past?
Questions of fact:
What has happened in the past?
How do other countries handle this issue?
What are the statistics for this group?
How does this group differ from other groups?
How does it differ from peers from other countries with and with out similar laws?
Questions of value:
How does this help or hurt the economy?
Does this reduced age contribute to alcoholism?
Is it a fair and equitable right to deny open alcohol consumption to this group?
Questions of policy:
Is it a fair and equitable right to deny open alcohol consumption to this group?
Should this group be allowed to buy all types of alcohol or should it be limited to lower proof alternatives?
Should this group be allowed to consume in public settings?
Should this group be allowed to purchase alcohol?
Should this group have the same rules and laws that govern current legal drinking age citizens be applied to them?
Should new and harsher/lesser laws be created to govern consumption for this group?
Alcohol and drinking are delicate subjects that have had significant ramifications in the past. As a teen I remember three-two-beer and the fluctuation in attitudes toward drinking and alcoholism. The drinking age and or what was considered hard stuff seemed to change with the seasons. There are many facts and factors to consider when drinking is concerned, and this list of questions is barely the tip of the iceberg. I am not sure how I would feel if I were still nineteen years old. Philosophically, if at eighteen-years-old one is legally an adult then, why should not one be allowed to consume alcohol? However, with only the anecdotal knowledge I have of underage drinking, I favor the side of limiting the drinking age until one reaches age 21. I would hope those two years of waiting make a more mature user and not a more anxious one.
Mark N.section 2
In order for the drinking age to be lowered from 21 to 19 the state of Ohio must first try to define why 19 is a reasonable age for people to start consuming alcohol legally. Being in the position to consume alcohol legally also requires that the person be mature and repsonsible while they are doing so. Defining what a mature person should act like can be difficult. There is a big difference between a mature 19 year old and a mature 21 year old. If 19 year olds can show that they are just as mature and responsible as a 21 year old then they may be permitted to drink legally. Although age is just a number it is true that most of us get wiser as we get older.
K.C (2)
First we need to know why we should lower the drinking age in gerneral, then why to 19years of age. We need to ask why the drinking age is 21 to begin with. If we lower it to 19 why not lower it to 18 whats the difference between the age groups. Then we need to ask are there more laws added. Will it reduce the amount ofunderage drinking.
There are so many questions that can be asked especially with a sensitve issuse such as the drinking age.
Brittany Kozak #2
I think in order to change the current policy you have to give reason as to why the current policy needs to be changed. What is wrong with having the drinking age be 21? At some point in the 80's Ohio changed it's drinking age from 19 to 21 years of age. Why should that be changed back. Are 19 year olds today more "adult like" then 19 year old from twenty years ago?
Also, would the new policy include a "grandfather clause" including those who turned 19 by a certain date? When the law changed in the 80's (even after the effective date) if you turned 19 within a grandfather clause date you could still drink with out being 21. Where these people considered more adult or responsible just because their birthdate was in January instead of April?
I think in order to change the policy you have to give reason as to why the current policy needs to be changed. What is wrong with having the drinking age be 21? At some point in the 80's Ohio changed it's drinking age from 19 to 21 years of age. Why should that be changed back. Are 19 year olds today more "adult like" then 19 year old from twenty years ago?
Also, would the new policy include a "grandfather clause" including those who turned 19 by a certain date? When the law changed in the 80's (even after the effective date) if you turned 19 within a grandfather clause date you could still drink with out being 21. Where these people considered more adult or responsible just because their birthdate was in January instead of April?
Danielle -section 1-
If the drinking age was lowered to 19, I don't think society would change much. Kids, on average, start drinking around the age if 14/15. First, we would need to decide what a "good" drinking age means. Does it mean someone who will be responsible? Is it someone that can "handle their liquor?" The fact is most people start drinking BEFORE high school, so what does 19 or 21 mean to anyone? Wouldn't it encourage more teens to drink, though? Some people actually look forward to 21 because of drinking, but aren't we just lessening the quality of life a little more by having them eagerly awaiting 19? So you would be able to get a 2-year jump on dialysis, huh? If this law was enacted, then 19-year-olds should have limitations. They should definitely be reprimanded much harsher than most others if they are caught drunk driving. I don't think they should be allowed to get drunk at all (only a few drinks or so).
Marie Payden #2
If we were to lower the drinking age to 19, I think that a question of definition would be what exactly the drinking age means or why would 19 be more suitable than 21? A question of fact would be that the present drinking age is 21. A question of value would have to do with changing the age. Would allowing 19 year olds to drink leggaly be a wise decision? Would it be better than keeping it at 21? Question of policy being benefits or disadvantages of lowering the drinking age. Should the drinking age just stay where it is?
Heather Sichi, section 1
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