7.3 Introduction to MacIntyre

Alasdair MacIntyre is a prominent anti-enlightenment thinker in contemporary political theory.
His work revisits themes and concepts previously discussed in the course.

MacIntyre was born into the Catholic tradition.
He initially revolted against Catholicism during his philosophical development.
His early book, Marxism and Christianity, grapples with the compatibility of Marxist thought and biblical teachings, concluding that Marxism prevails.
Over time, he becomes disillusioned with Marxism due to the oppressive nature of regimes such as Stalinism.

MacIntyre's disenchantment extends beyond Marxism to the broader Enlightenment project.
He critiques:
- The scientific aspirations of the Enlightenment, arguing that the concept of free will undermines the possibility of objective science in the human realm.
- The excessive focus on individualism, which he views as pathological and detrimental to societal well-being.

Central Question: What does MacIntyre mean by "after virtue?"
Key Connection to Aristotle:
- The concept of virtue in political philosophy directly relates to Aristotelian thought.
- MacIntyre argues that the Enlightenment thinkers wrongly abandoned Aristotelian ethics, causing societal decline.

MacIntyre identifies contemporary society as an emotivist culture where moral judgments are based on emotional responses rather than rational discourse.
Emotivism - Proposed by Carl Stevenson, suggests that ethical statements express individual emotional attitudes rather than objective truths.
Notable Implications of Emotivism:
- Moral disagreements cannot be resolved through rational dialogue; individuals simply express their views (e.g., "murder is wrong" reflects a personal emotional stance).

MacIntyre traces the origins of emotivism to the Enlightenment's rejection of Aristotelian virtues.
He critiques prominent theorists such as Rawls and Nozick for their individualistic foundations:
- Rawls focuses on enduring pluralism without reconciliation of fundamentally differing values.
- Nozick argues against teleological theories in justice due to potential imposition of moral frameworks on individuals who hold differing values.

In his book After Virtue, MacIntyre adopts a historical approach, beginning with the present emotivist culture before tracing back to Aristotle.
He aims to resurrect and adapt Aristotelian virtues for contemporary application.