"A short, philosophical rigorous but lively and assessible critical account of the nature, role and value of the family within a liberal society. It addresses the questions of what a family is and offers a definition of 'family'. It assesses whether there is a right to have a family, what rights and duties parents might have, whether the family promotes injustice, and what future there is for the family in the face of significant social and biotechnological changes. The book considers the major contemporary philosophical arguments and claims in respect of the family and offers its own distinctive, and original, defence of the family."--Publisher's description.