My reasoning: There is no need to depend upon social norms to
assess the value of pedophilia. Rational ethics supports
establishing a set of criteria by which to assess a truly evolved
sexual experience/relationship--let's choose the basic ones: safe,
sane, consensual, equal. Pedophiliac sexual relationships do not fit
the basic critria and often depend on the emotional or
physical vulnerability of one individual. (Note that B/D/S/M
enthusiasts and polygamists have no trouble fulfilling these
criteria). Indeed, these relationships bear a strong resemblence to
early forms of marriage that depended upon the female remaining
ignorant, dependant and infantile.
As puberty begins to occur at earlier ages in humans, the age of
consent probably could stand to be lowered by several years, but
basic principles of consent and maturity remain problematic. I'll
agree that some adults probably are not ready for sex and that some
younger folk are, but when you plan to live for over 100 years, a few
years of waiting can't hurt!
Sin,
Kathryn