Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue: A Study In Moral Theory

After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre: Quick Answer

• After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre posits that contemporary moral discourse is fundamentally incoherent due to the failure of Enlightenment efforts to establish universal, reason-based ethical systems.
• The book advocates for a return to virtue ethics, understood within specific historical traditions and a teleological framework of human flourishing, as the only viable path to moral coherence.
• It is a foundational, though demanding, text for anyone seeking to understand the historical trajectory and current state of moral philosophy.

Who This Is For

• Readers interested in a sophisticated philosophical critique of modern moral language and the perceived absence of shared ethical standards.
• Students and academics of ethics, political theory, and philosophy of religion looking to engage with a seminal work that significantly influenced contemporary ethical debates.

What To Check First

• MacIntyre’s critique of emotivism: Understand his argument that modern moral pronouncements often function as expressions of subjective preference rather than objective, reasoned judgments.
• The concept of “practices”: Familiarize yourself with MacIntyre’s definition of practices as complex, socially embedded activities that yield “internal goods” and are essential for virtue development.
• The role of tradition: Recognize MacIntyre’s thesis that virtues and moral understanding are deeply embedded within historical and social traditions, which provide the necessary context for ethical reasoning.
• Teleology and human flourishing: Be prepared for MacIntyre’s reintroduction of teleology (the study of purpose or end goals) as crucial for defining virtues and understanding the concept of the good life.

Alasdair MacIntyre’s seminal work, After Virtue, offers a profound critique of modern moral discourse. If you’re looking to understand the philosophical underpinnings of ethical incoherence, this book is a must-read.

After Virtue, Third Edition: A Study in Moral Theory

• Audible Audiobook
• Alasdair MacIntyre (Author) - Derek Perkins (Narrator)
• English (Publication Language)
• 03/13/2018 (Publication Date) - Blackstone Audio, Inc. (Publisher)

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Step-by-Step Plan: Engaging With After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre

1. Analyze the Diagnosis of Moral Incoherence:

• Action: Read MacIntyre’s initial chapters detailing his critique of modern moral discourse.
• Look For: MacIntyre’s argument that ethical debates in the modern era resemble a clash of unrelated, subjective preferences, lacking a shared rational basis. He uses examples like differing justifications for lying to illustrate this point.
• Mistake: Interpreting MacIntyre as merely observing moral disagreement; the error is failing to grasp his assertion that the structure of modern moral language itself has become fundamentally incoherent, making genuine ethical deliberation impossible.

2. Deconstruct “Practices” and “Internal Goods”:

• Action: Focus on MacIntyre’s definition of “practices” and their associated “internal goods.”
• Look For: His explanation of practices as complex forms of human activity, such as games, crafts, or sciences, which possess their own standards of excellence and yield goods intrinsic to the practice itself, distinct from external rewards like money or status. He analyzes the practice of chess in detail.
• Mistake: Equating practices with mere habits or skills; the error is not recognizing that for MacIntyre, practices are crucial for the development of virtues and the pursuit of a meaningful human life.

3. Trace the Historical Argument for Virtue:

• Action: Examine MacIntyre’s historical accounts, particularly his engagement with Aristotle and Hume.
• Look For: How MacIntyre argues that virtues have been understood and functioned differently across historical periods, leading to his concept of “enlightened” traditions. He draws on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics to show how virtues were understood within a teleological framework.
• Mistake: Viewing virtues as abstract, universal qualities independent of context; the error is overlooking MacIntyre’s insistence that virtues are deeply tied to specific social roles and narrative understandings of human life.

4. Understand the Teleological Framework for Human Flourishing:

• Action: Focus on MacIntyre’s reintroduction of teleology into moral reasoning.
• Look For: How he argues that virtues are excellences that enable individuals to achieve the telos (purpose or end) of human life, which he identifies as flourishing. He revisits Aristotle’s concept of eudaimonia.
• Mistake: Treating the teleological aspect as a secondary or optional element; the error is not recognizing that for MacIntyre, a coherent moral system fundamentally requires an understanding of what human beings are for, a question largely abandoned by modern ethical thought.

5. Identify the Conditions for Moral Renewal:

• Action: Read the concluding chapters where MacIntyre outlines the possibility of a renewed moral tradition.
• Look For: His metaphorical anticipation of figures who can reconstruct a coherent moral philosophy and his warnings about the dangers of moral relativism and nihilism.
• Mistake: Expecting MacIntyre to provide a ready-made ethical system; the error is not appreciating that he offers a critical diagnosis and a framework for rebuilding, rather than a fully developed prescriptive guide.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Treating After Virtue as a simple prescriptive guide for contemporary ethical behavior.
• Why it matters: MacIntyre’s primary purpose is diagnostic and critical, exposing the incoherence of modern moral discourse. He does not offer a direct set of rules for how to live ethically in the present.
• Fix: Focus on understanding his critique of emotivism and his argument for the necessity of tradition and teleology as foundations for a coherent moral framework.

• Mistake: Underestimating the philosophical density and historical rigor of the text.
• Why it matters: MacIntyre engages with complex philosophical traditions and arguments. Superficial reading can lead to misinterpretations of his nuanced claims.
• Fix: Read slowly, take notes, and consider rereading challenging passages. Consulting scholarly introductions to MacIntyre’s work can also be beneficial.

• Mistake: Ignoring the historical dimension of MacIntyre’s argument.
• Why it matters: MacIntyre’s central thesis relies heavily on tracing the historical development and subsequent fragmentation of moral concepts, particularly from Aristotle through the Enlightenment.
• Fix: Pay close attention to his discussions of key figures and historical periods, as these are crucial for understanding his argument about the loss of a shared moral framework.

• Mistake: Confusing MacIntyre’s technical definition of “practices” with everyday habits or skills.
• Why it matters: His definition of a practice involves shared standards of excellence and the pursuit of internal goods, which is distinct from mere personal routines or skills pursued solely for external reward.
• Fix: Differentiate between activities that possess intrinsic value and standards of achievement (practices) and those that are merely functional or habitual.

Failure Mode: The “Emotivist Echo” Trap

A significant failure mode readers encounter with After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre is falling into an “emotivist echo.” This occurs when, after reading MacIntyre’s powerful critique of emotivism, they inadvertently adopt a similar stance in their own moral reasoning, believing all moral claims are ultimately subjective, even while ostensibly rejecting emotivism.

How to Detect It Early:

• Observe your own moral justifications: When debating ethical issues, do you find yourself defaulting to phrases like “I feel that…” or “It’s just my opinion…” even when discussing widely accepted moral norms?
• Analyze your critique of others: When disagreeing with someone’s moral stance, do you tend to dismiss it as simply a different preference, rather than engaging with the potential underlying (even if flawed) reasoning?
• Assess your understanding of “objective” morality: Do you struggle to articulate what an objective moral claim would even look like, beyond personal conviction?

If these indicators are present, you may be echoing emotivism rather than understanding MacIntyre’s call for a framework that transcends mere subjective preference. The fix involves actively seeking and articulating the shared standards and telos that MacIntyre argues are necessary for genuine moral discourse, rather than concluding that all moral discourse is inherently subjective.

Strengths and Limitations

Decision Rules

• If you seek a rigorous philosophical diagnosis of modern moral failure, After Virtue is essential.
• If you are looking for a straightforward ethical guide, this book’s critical nature may require supplementary reading.
• If you are interested in the historical roots of ethical thought, MacIntyre’s engagement with figures like Aristotle and Hume is particularly valuable.