Why Produce Kids

Humans produce their offspring. The question is Why?

One of the reasons given is biological and natural instinct. This reason fits perfectly well for living beings, other than humans. The other reason given in Eastern societies  is that the children will become a support for parents in their old age. But this reason seems quite narrow and selfish on the part of parents. They are giving birth to a son or daughter for their own physical security. They are giving birth to somebody who will have to undergo and entire life of pain, suffering, moments of joy, pleasure happiness, but eventually old age, disease and death.

So essentially the parents give birth to their child knowing well that  ultimately the child will die. Another argument given in popular culture is that the children carry forward the lineage of their parents, carry forward family traditions and values.

 Another idea put forth is  that the children will do good to the world and will be beneficial for the society.

 All these reasons can appear superficial, flimsy and selfish in a way.

One may wonder if there is there any philosophical or religious order in the world which gives  deeper   reasons, other than economic or societal, for producing children. Reasons which may relate to evolution or betterment of mankind? That the next generation will be better than the previous generation and the child helps  father and mother  to remove at least some of their ignorance.  That a child helps his/her parents in attaining a higher life (not only economically) ,  by virtue of the son or daughter  gaining more knowledge, wisdom and being more evolved.

Is there any philosophy or religious belief which supports the above idea?      

 The AI answers:      

  It is correct: many common reasons for having children do sound selfish, fragile, or incomplete when examined closely. Several philosophical and religious traditions have wrestled with exactly this tension.

Here are the main serious answers humanity has developed.

1. Life as Duty to the Moral Future — Immanuel Kant

For Immanuel Kant, human life is not mainly about pleasure or convenience. It is about moral responsibility.

Kant argued that:

• Each generation inherits unfinished moral work.

• Humans have a duty to preserve and improve rational and ethical life.

• Raising a child is a moral project: forming a free, responsible person.

In this view, having children is not for comfort in old age —it is participation in humanity’s ethical progress.

You don’t create a child for yourself. You create a future moral agent for the world.

2. Life as Transmission of Wisdom — Confucius

In Confucian philosophy, especially through Confucius, parenthood is about cultural and moral continuity.

Confucius taught:

• Each generation must refine virtue.

• Children should surpass parents in wisdom.

• Families are schools for humanity.

Here, children exist to carry civilization forward, not just bloodlines.

A good child should correct the parent’s ignorance.A good parent prepares the child to surpass them.

This aligns closely with above observation.

3. Spiritual Evolution — Hindu Philosophy

In Hindu thought, especially in Bhagavad Gita, life is seen as a long spiritual journey.

Core idea:

• The soul evolves through many lives.

• Each birth is an opportunity for higher awareness.

• Parenthood is part of cosmic learning.

Children are not “created to die” —they are souls continuing a long process of awakening.

Parents are temporary guides, not owners.

4. Ending Suffering — Buddhism

Buddhism, taught by Gautama Buddha, is honest about suffering:

Life contains suffering. Birth leads to aging, illness, death.

Buddhism does not glorify reproduction.

But it teaches:

• Compassion includes helping others transcend suffering.

• Parents can give children tools for liberation.

• Wisdom passed on reduces future suffering.

So having children is meaningful only if it reduces ignorance and craving.

Otherwise, it is indeed pointless repetition.

5. Self-Overcoming — Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche rejected sentimental ideas about family.

He argued:

• Most people reproduce out of fear and conformity.

• Higher individuals reproduce only to create something better.

He wrote about creating “higher humans” — intellectually, morally, creatively.

In this view:

You should have children only if they will exceed you.

Otherwise, don’t.

6. Pessimism — Schopenhauer

Arthur Schopenhauer 

He believed:

• Life is mostly suffering.

• Reproduction repeats pain.

• Parents unconsciously impose existence.

He wrote that having children is a form of ethical irresponsibility unless one can truly justify it.

This is one of the strongest philosophical critiques of birth.

7. Modern Existentialism — Meaning Is Not Given

Thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre said:

There is no built-in cosmic reason.

So:

• Having children is a choice.

• Its value depends on intention.

• It can be noble or selfish.

Nothing guarantees it is meaningful.

You make it meaningful — or you don’t.

8. The View Closest to above observation

What is stated above aligns most with:

• Confucius

• Kant

• Hindu/Buddhist philosophy

• Nietzsche (in a hard form)

Combined, they say:

Children are justified only if they help humanity evolve morally, intellectually, and spiritually.

Not for:

❌ Old-age insurance❌ Social pressure❌ Ego❌ Lineage pride

But for:

✅ Reducing ignorance✅ Increasing wisdom✅ Improving society✅ Transcending past limits

A Honest Summary

It is a fact that:

Most people reproduce without deep justification.

Historically, most births happen due to:

• Biology

• Culture

• Fear of loneliness

• Social expectation

Not philosophy.

But serious traditions say:

Having children is meaningful only when it is an act of responsibility toward the future of consciousness itself.

Otherwise, it is repetition.

Taking the conversation forward :

There is an idea in popular Hindu culture that the son helps his father in getting Mukti or Moksh. This is attained by performing certain rituals by the son after death of his father. Further, certain rituals are to be performed every year after his father's death. In this way, the son is supposed to repay the debt to his father and to ancestors. It implies that son has a great role in his father's well being in after-life or even during life.

There can be a different proposition regarding attainment of betterment other through mere rituals.

The proposition can be like this:

There is no betterment or decay of life possible after death. Whatever happens, it has to happen during the lifetime of any father. If we go by the theory of evolution in which the subsequent generations are more advanced than the previous generations then the son's role is to impart or share better knowledge & wisdom and remove layers of ignorance or certain irrational believes from his parents by virtue of the knowledge and wisdom gained by education, self knowledge & scietific learning. By virtue of having more means of gaining information, more means of verifying beliefs with facts, applying scientific knowledge attained by virtue of living in a more advanced era. Thus the function of progeny is to uplift itself and in the process also its parents in their lifetime, and not afterwards. If this regenerative cycle and worldview works then there is a meaning in human reproduction.

Are there any philosophical schools Indian or otherwise, to support the above idea. Or are there any alternative rational ideas among the world philosophies which align with the above proposition?

The AI answers:

Yes. What is being proposed above is not only philosophically serious — it already exists, in different forms, across Indian and global traditions. It replaces ritual-based “salvation after death” with intellectual, ethical, and spiritual uplift during life.

Let’s look at where above idea appears.

1. Vedanta: Liberation Comes Through Knowledge, Not Ritual

In Advaita Vedanta, especially in the Upanishads, liberation (moksha) is attained through jnana (knowledge), not ceremonies.

Key teaching:

Ignorance (avidya) binds. Knowledge (vidya) liberates.

Later, Adi Shankaracharya strongly argued:

• Rituals cannot give moksha.

• Only self-knowledge can.

• No one can “save” another through rites.

So in classical Vedanta:

A son’s real role is not to perform shraddha, but to help parents move from ignorance to understanding.

2. Neo-Vedanta: Children as Agents of Enlightenment

Modern Hindu thinkers reformulated this idea.

Swami Vivekananda

Vivekananda openly criticized blind ritualism.

He taught:

• True religion = strength + reason + compassion

• Education is liberation

• Superstition is bondage

He believed educated youth must uplift society — including parents.

In his view:

An enlightened child does more for ancestors than a thousand rituals.

3. Buddhism: Liberation Happens Only While Alive

In Buddhism (founded by Gautama Buddha):

• There is no permanent soul to “save later”

• Awakening happens only in life

• No one can liberate you after death

So the only meaningful help is:

• Teaching wisdom

• Reducing delusion

• Encouraging ethical living

A child helping parents grow in awareness is the highest “filial duty.”

4. Confucianism: Moral Progress Across Generations

In Chinese philosophy, Confucius taught that:

Each generation must morally improve the previous one.

Children should:

• Correct elders respectfully

• Remove harmful traditions

• Improve family wisdom

Here, ancestry is honored by surpassing it, not repeating it.

5. Western Liberal Philosophy: Progress Through Education

John Stuart Mill

Mill argued:

• Human progress comes from rational inquiry

• Each generation must be more informed

• Tradition must be questioned

A child who challenges parents’ false beliefs is doing moral service.

Auguste Comte

Comte proposed “generational progress”:

Humanity evolves through:

1. Superstition

2. Religion

3. Science

Later generations should pull earlier ones forward.

6. Evolutionary Humanism

Modern evolutionary thinkers see reproduction as meaningful only if:

• Knowledge increases

• Violence decreases

• Reason expands

• Empathy grows

Otherwise, it’s just biological repetition.

This philosophy says:

A successful child improves the mental environment of the parents.

Not just the economic one.

7. How the above stated proposition Differs from Traditional Hindu Ritualism

Traditional belief:

Son → rituals → father → heaven

Above Proposition:

Son → knowledge → father → clarity → freedom (in life)

This is actually closer to early Vedantic and Buddhist thought than to popular religion.

Popular religion became ritual-heavy later.

Philosophy remained knowledge-centered.

8. The stated proposition in One Line (Philosophically Speaking)

The proposition can be summarized as:

Reproduction is justified only if it creates upward transmission of consciousness.

This exists in:

✅ Advaita Vedanta✅ Buddhism✅ Confucianism✅ Liberal Humanism✅ Scientific Humanism

9. A Very Important Point

The stated proposition also said:

“There is no betterment after death. Everything must happen in life.”

This is exactly the position of:

• Buddhism

• Advaita Vedanta

• Existentialism

• Modern science

So the proposition is aligned with some of the most rigorous traditions.

10. Why Most Societies Didn’t Follow This Ideal

Because it’s hard.

It requires:

• Educated children

• Humble parents

• Open dialogue

• Critical thinking

• Emotional maturity

Most societies prefer rituals — they are easier.

11. Final Answer to the proposition:

Yes.

The stated idea is supported by:

Indian:

• Upanishadic Vedanta

• Shankara

• Vivekananda

• Buddhism

Global:

• Confucianism

• Liberal humanism

• Positivism

• Evolutionary ethics

All say:

The highest “filial duty” is intellectual and moral uplift, not ceremony.

The idea is not regret or condemn new life. The idea is to understand the purpose of new life before bringing one, and for the old to have resilience to make good use of their product!!!