| '''Family''' denotes a group of people affiliated by a common ancestry, affinity or co-residence. Although the [[concept]] of consanguinity originally referred to relations by "blood," [[Anthropology|anthropologists]] have argued that one must understand the idea of "blood" [[metaphor]]ically, and that many societies understand 'family' through other concepts rather than through genetic proximity. | | '''Family''' denotes a group of people affiliated by a common ancestry, affinity or co-residence. Although the [[concept]] of consanguinity originally referred to relations by "blood," [[Anthropology|anthropologists]] have argued that one must understand the idea of "blood" [[metaphor]]ically, and that many societies understand 'family' through other concepts rather than through genetic proximity. |
| It has been argued by many [[sociology|sociologists]], [[anthropology|anthropologists]] [[philosophers]], and [[psychoanalysts]] that the main function of the [[family]] is to perpetuate [[society]]. Either socially, with the "social production of children", or biologically, or both. Thus, one's [[experience]] of one's family shifts over time. From the perspective of children, the family is a family of orientation: the family serves to locate children socially, and plays a major role in their [[culture|enculturation]] and socialization. From the point of view of the parent(s), the family is a family of procreation the goal of which is to produce and enculturate and socialize children. However, producing children is not the only function of the family; in societies with a [[sexuality|sexual]] division of labor, [[marriage]], and the resulting relationship between two people, is necessary for the formation of an economically productive household. | | It has been argued by many [[sociology|sociologists]], [[anthropology|anthropologists]] [[philosophers]], and [[psychoanalysts]] that the main function of the [[family]] is to perpetuate [[society]]. Either socially, with the "social production of children", or biologically, or both. Thus, one's [[experience]] of one's family shifts over time. From the perspective of children, the family is a family of orientation: the family serves to locate children socially, and plays a major role in their [[culture|enculturation]] and socialization. From the point of view of the parent(s), the family is a family of procreation the goal of which is to produce and enculturate and socialize children. However, producing children is not the only function of the family; in societies with a [[sexuality|sexual]] division of labor, [[marriage]], and the resulting relationship between two people, is necessary for the formation of an economically productive household. |