The family and the ontogenesis of human life: An appraisal

Abstract

The problem of auto-transcendence still baffles philosophers and scholars of philosophical Anthropology. Many are agreed that man goes out of himself to perfect himself, perfect the society and eventually to find himself in God. This article examines critically the role of the family, in a man's journey on earth beginning from his origins through his  developmental stages, and earlier states of his history to ageing, dying and death which is the greatest limit situation that terminates man's life here on this planet earth and brings him face to face with His creator in the life after life. Using philosophical analysis, the author concludes that of all the available means open to man, through his earthly journey, his family plays an unparalleled role. His birth is announced in the family, there also he ages, prepared to die and is given a befitting burial at death. Whether or not he transcends into God or into nothingness depends on his family background and on faith which men live by. In the family so to say he is prepared to battle with the fundamental features of man, namely: Facticity, existentiality and falleness. More importantly, it is in his family that man is prepared to handle properly the three stages of his gradual development of his existential condition which include: aesthetic, ethical and religious stages.