Plato and the Family (Powerpoint)
- Socrates moves on to a discussion of the family for the Guardians
- Wives and children will be in common
- Parents will not know who their children are and children will not know who the parents are
- Sex will only happen during designated times—festival times
- Individuals will be paired by the rulers and told it is being done by lot
- The best of the best men may be paired multiple times with excellent women as a reward for bravery
- This will lead to better children as well
- The best of the best men may be paired multiple times with excellent women as a reward for bravery
- Children will be taken from the mother at birth and will be raised in common
- The mothers will breastfeed all the children
- Children with handicaps will be exposed
- The parents will have to be in their prime in order to have children
- After this they will be free to do as they wish as long as they abort all children
- To avoid unintentional incest children born in the 7th and 10th months will be considered theirs, thus all these children will be brothers and sisters
- Sexual relations between these groups is forbidden
- Women and children must be in common to create unity
- Private property only separates
Aristotle and the Family (Powerpoint)
- Aristotle then moves on to the other relations in the household
- The husband and wife relationship resembles the statesman-citizen relationship
- Both are free in the sense that neither is a slave
- The husband rules since the wife is somewhat lacking in rationality
- The husband and wife relationship resembles the statesman-citizen relationship
- The parent-child relationship resembles the king-subject relationship
- The father rules by virtue of the children’s love and respect for his age and wisdom
- The respective virtues of master, wife, child, and slave vary in aim and measure according to the different roles each of these fulfill
Hegel and the Family (Powerpoint)
- In the family, one is both an individual, but more importantly a unity–love
- One of the major purposes of the family is for raising children but this leads to its dissolution (sublation)
- Right comes about from the fact of its eventual dissolution
- Familial love
- Contradiction between not wanting to be independent if that means being incomplete and wanting to be recognized by the other person
- Here is where material property becomes ethical and rational
- Not based on a single owner’s needs, but a unified group
- The father should be the head of the family
- Goes out and works for a living
- Manages property
- Property is common stock, however
Locke and the Family (Powerpoint)
- Power of parents over children for their own good because they are not yet fully rational
- Once children understand the law, then the parent’s power disperses
- Not intended to be severe and arbitrary
- For protection—children are not property
- When the above is done the child owes the parent respect, gratitude and support in the future
| Aristotle | Hegel | Locke | |
| Who is included? | Biological family, property and slaves | Biological family and property | Biological family and property |
| How is property managed? | The male head of family has the power to rationally manage it, distribute as he chooses | The father has the power to rationally manage it | One individual should manage, usually father |
| What is the purpose of property? | Provide basic means of life for the family including further generations, comfortable life for the wealthy | Support the family until they move on, provide education to the children | Support the family until they move on, provide education to children |
| How does the family end/transform? | Oldest male dies and control goes to the next in line | Children reach adulthood, leave and start their own families | Children reach adulthood, leave and start their own families |
| What is the relationship between husband and wife? | Hierarchical with husband in charge, wife is less rational | Slightly less hierarchical with separate but “equal” roles | Still less hierarchical where wife has rationality but still separate roles |
| What is the relationship between parents and children? | Hierarchical, oldest male relative rules for life, mother may have some power over children and slaves | Parents should prepare children for civil society, father trains son for career, politics; mother provides moral guidance to both sons and daughters | Parents should understand that they are “mini-“ adults with some rationality; must be protected and cared for but no tyranny here |