Socio-philosophical understanding of transformation of family in the dynamics of civilization over the period from Middle Ages to Modern Age

Abstract

Understanding of reasons and consequences of ongoing transformations with modern institution of the family is impossible without gaining insight into the processes, results and concept of changes that rook place with the family in its historically observable past. The subject of this research is the family and transformation of functions of the family in a historical context. The author conducts a socio-philosophical comparative analysis in compliance with the principle of systematicity and value of functions of the family through structural-comparative analysis of a historical type of medieval family with three ideal models of transitional historical periods from Middle Ages to Modern Age. The utopic concepts of T. More, T. Companella and F. Bacon served as the foundation for this research. Having examined the acceptable for philosophers types of family structure at various stages of the indicated historical period, the author determines dominant factors that affected the qualitative and essential changes of internal environment of the family as a small group, as well as structural-functional changes of the family as an institution, which led to transformation of the family and its functions. The author sees family as the basis of harmonious and happy life of an individual and a source of social well-being. The article is written from the perspective of familialism and viewed as a social institution. The scientific novelty lies in analysis of the historical type of family with hypothetical models of family, reflected in philosophical texts of this historical period, in order to determine the dominants that transform family, and establish the peculiarities of emergence of socio-philosophical concepts of studying institution of the family depending on social processes in the historical context of development. Such approach allow identifying the inward nature of structural relationships “individual – family – society – government” in a specific society.