7.7 Concluding Anti-Enlightenment Thought

Key Philosophical Differences

• Aristotelianism vs. MacIntyre’s View

  • Traditional Aristotelianism:

    • Deliberation focused on means of achieving predefined ends (timeless universals).

  • MacIntyre's Approach:

    • Advocates for historicizing virtues, recognizing their evolution over time.

    • Views traditions as spaces that nourish debate and disagreement.

Context of Reasoning

• All reasoning occurs within a tradition.

  • Criticism and innovation transcend previous limitations.

  • Example:

    • A student might propose better teaching methods after learning the norms within their academic tradition.

  • Good traditions are characterized by continuous arguments about values and goods.

    • Example: The ongoing debates within Jewish and Catholic traditions about what it means to belong.

Framework of Moral Disagreement

• MacIntyre acknowledges persistent disagreements within traditions.

  • Challenges:

    • Non-resolution of major moral issues (e.g., abortion, affirmative action).

    • There exists a profound history of moral disagreements, even during times of shared natural law beliefs.

  • Critiques of MacIntyre:

    • His failure to offer solutions for unresolved disagreements.

    • His idealistic view fails to recognize the complexities of historical moral dispute.

Moral and Normative Reasoning

• Tradition-bound reasoning influences both empirical and normative questions.

  • Example:

    • A child's simplistic reasoning (e.g., giants holding up walls) evolves as they grow, refining understanding within the framework of their tradition.

• A Jew would process ethical questions based on their Jewish identity, rather than abstract principles.

MacIntyre’s Prescriptive Limitations

• His perspective on tradition posits that in the face of moral decline, we can establish local communities to maintain civility and intellectual life.

• MacIntyre expresses pessimism about the current state of moral discourse, similar to historical dark ages.

• Confronts the reality that moral decline often stems from a lack of awareness of current issues.

Critique of Enlightenment Traditions

• MacIntyre's position shows both the utility and limitations of rejecting Enlightenment.

• Emphasizes the potential of a neo-Aristotelian understanding of human psychology.

  • This view contrasts with Enlightenment perspectives that portray humans as mere utility maximizers.

• Reshaping Enlightenment thoughts:

  • Attempts to preserve some values from the Enlightenment while acknowledging its shortcomings.

Conclusion and Future Directions

• The discussion leads toward re-evaluating and potentially reconciling Enlightenment and tradition-based values.

• Future exploration:

  • Investigating the democratic tradition as a means to cultivate a middle ground for political institutions and values.