Final answer:
In some tribal and historical societies, being the biological father of a son did not necessarily grant legal rights or social status to that child. Practices like levirate marriage or social structures like matrilineal inheritance could result in the biological father being subordinate to their own child or having limited authority within the family.
Step-by-step explanation:
In tribal societies, a man could be the biological father of his son without necessarily having all the social and legal rights to that son. For instance, in cases where the practice of levirate marriage occurred, such as the story of Onan, the biological children would inherit the status and possessions of the deceased brother, not the biological father. It meant that although Onan would provide a son, this child would legally be considered his brother's offspring, potentially resulting in Onan being financially and socially subordinate to his biological child.
Moreover, family structures in different cultures could be complex. For example, in some societies, family roles and status were not strictly tied to biological relations. Instead, they could be significantly influenced by social customs or marital practices that emphasize the mother's kin group in matrilineal societies, where a maternal uncle would have authority over the family resources rather than the mother's husband.
It is worth noting that family and inheritance structures vary widely across cultures and history, often reflecting local customs, social organization, and gender roles, rather than strictly biological relationships. The Romans, for example, had a system of patria podestas where the paterfamilias held significant power within the family unit, and reproductive expectations were tied to social and legal norms.