[Towards a sheltered aging in individual and social responsibility].

Aging is a slow process, the beginning of which as well as its progress are defined in quite different ways from the biomedical, psychological, or sociological point of view. Philosophy can perform a significant contribution to a sound and human approach to this phenomenon of life: first clarifying the present situation on the background of historic experiences; second improving a fundamental ascertainment of our ontological condition as human beings, characterized by finiteness and vulnerability, while recalling that humans possess the unique capability to reflect on this aspect of their existence; and, always moving from the results of that analysis, lastly suggesting some tentative solutions, conceived as ethical-practical guidelines and values pool, for an overcoming of the individual and social challenges posed by aging. The aim consists in a re-interpretation of aging as a "becoming oneself", without denying hereby the negativity embodied in the finiteness and fragility of our life.