EN
Th e article deals with the issue of aging in philosophical and social terms. Th e author’s thesis is that while the old age is the subject for philosophical refl ection, it is also a problem of people responsible for the shape of contemporary social life. Understanding aging and its social references to the elderly is the result of the adopted philosophy of life. Th e principle of this paper is that a human being is not merely a body, but the spirit connected with the body, which is supported by the illustrations from the past. When the body goes weak and human power diminishes, an individual, as a combination of ma tter and spirit, may still be active, useful for the family, the loved ones, and for the society.