Alasdair Chalmers MacIntyre (born January 12, 1929 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a philosopher primarily known for his contribution to moral and political philosophy but known also for his work in history of philosophy and theology. January 12 is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... “Glaswegian” redirects here. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic and Scots1 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Political philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about the state, government, politics, liberty, justice, property, rights, law and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why (or even if) they are needed, what makes a government legitimate, what... The history of philosophy is the study of philosophical ideas and concepts through time. ... At Wikiversity you can learn more and teach others about Theology at: The School of Theology Theology finds its scholars pursuing the understanding of and providing reasoned discourse of religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ...

Biography

MacIntyre was educated at the institution now known as Queen Mary, University of London, and has a Master of Arts from the University of Manchester. He began his lecturing career in 1951 at Manchester University. He taught at the University of Leeds, the University of Essex and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, before moving to the USA in around 1969. MacIntyre has been something of an intellectual nomad, having taught at many universities in the US. He has held the following positions: Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL) (until 2000 Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London and still called that in its charter [1] and occasionally still abbreviated to QMW) is the fourth largest College of the University of London. ... The University of Manchester is a university located in Manchester, England. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... The University of Leeds is a major teaching and research university, one of the largest in the United Kingdom with over 32,000 full-time students. ... The University of Essex rules is a British plate glass university. ... The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ...

• Professor of History and Ideas, Brandeis University (1969 or 1970),
• Dean of the College of Arts and Professor of Philosophy, Boston University, (1972)
• Henry Luce Professor, Wellesley College (1980),
• W. Alton Jones Professor, Vanderbilt University (1982),
• Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame (1985),
• Professor of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University (1985),
• Visiting scholar, Whitney Humanities Center, Yale University (1988).
• McMahon-Hank Professor of Philosophy, Notre Dame (1989), and
• Arts & Sciences Professor of Philosophy, Duke University (1995–1997).

He has also been a visiting professor at Princeton University, and is a former president of the American Philosophical Association. Brandeis University is a private university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... For similarly-named academic institutions, see Boston (disambiguation). ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Henry Robinson Luce (April 3, 1898 - February 28, 1967) was an influential American publisher. ... Wellesley College is a womens liberal arts college that opened in 1875, founded by Henry Fowle Durant and his wife Pauline Fowle Durant. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Vanderbilt University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational research university in Nashville, Tennessee. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... The University of Notre Dame IPA: is a Roman Catholic institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana, immediately northeast of South Bend, Indiana, United States. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Vanderbilt University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational research university in Nashville, Tennessee. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... “Yale” redirects here. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... The University of Notre Dame IPA: is a Roman Catholic institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana, immediately northeast of South Bend, Indiana, United States. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Duke University is a private coeducational research university located in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Princeton University is a private coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, in the United States of America. ... The American Philosophical Association is the main professional organization for philosophers in the United States. ...

From 2000 to 2006, he has been the Rev. John A. O'Brien Senior Research Professor and the Permanent Senior Research Fellow at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana USA. He is also Professor Emerit and Emeritus at Duke University. In April 2005 he was elected to the American Philosophical Society. 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The University of Notre Dame IPA: is a Roman Catholic institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana, immediately northeast of South Bend, Indiana, United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Area  Ranked 38th  - Total 36,418 sq mi (94,321 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 270 miles (435 km)  - % water 1. ... Duke University is a private coeducational research university located in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. ... April 2005 : ← - January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - → Hamas and Islamic Jihad have declared, in principle, their intention to join the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). ... The American Philosophical Society is a discussion group founded as the Junto in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin. ...

He has been married 3 times. From 1953 to 1963 he was married to Ann Peri, with whom he had two daughters. From 1963 to 1977 he was married to Susan Willans, with whom he had a son and daughter. Since 1977 he has been married to philosopher Lynn Joy, who is also on the Philosophy faculty at Notre Dame. Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... The University of Notre Dame IPA: is a Roman Catholic institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana, immediately northeast of South Bend, Indiana, United States. ...

Philosophical method

Whereas many contemporary philosophers advance philosophical positions by focusing on the logical, analytical or scientific underpinnings, MacIntyre uses dialectic in order to present a historical narration of the development of ethics in order to illuminate the modern problem of incommensurable moral notions used independently of their original conceptual frameworks. He does not attempt to resolve the resulting conceptual conflicts. Instead, he argues for one moral tradition against its rivals. This tradition, he proposes, presents 'the best theory so far', both of how things are and of how we ought to act. It is the tradition of Thomistic Aristotelianism. In classical philosophy, dialectic (Greek: διαλεκτική) is an exchange of propositions (theses) and counter-propositions (antitheses) resulting in a synthesis of the opposing assertions, or at least a qualitative transformation in the direction of the dialogue. ... Aristotelianism is a tradition of philosophy that takes its defining inspiration from the work of Aristotle. ...

Virtue ethics

MacIntyre is a key figure in the recent surge of interest in virtue ethics, which identifies the central question of morality as having to do with the habits, virtues and knowledges concerning how one should live one's life. This approach has a greater scope than others. MacIntyre and his supporters focus on moral problems having to do with how to make the most of an entire human life, whereas most others often focus on such specific ethical debates such as abortion, homosexual rights, etc. MacIntyre is not silent on such matters, but he approaches them from a wider context and less rule-based standard. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... -1...

This is an approach to moral philosophy that demonstrates how good judgment of individuals emanates from the development of good character. The underlying standards are grasped not through what a virtuous person "decides" but rather through the virtues of life that enable moral action to be both directed to its correct ends and consonant within its moral rationality. For example, it's impractical to say that wine X is the best wine on earth but there is wisdom in saying that person W is well known and widely respected for his/her views on wine and if he/she says wines 1, 2, and 3 are fantastic, chances are great that they are. This is a simplistic example to highlight only that judgements of virtuous persons in determining what is good or evil, right or wrong are more important than formal rules. In elaborating this approach, MacIntyre understands himself to be reworking the Aristotelian idea of an ethical teleology. Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... A judgment or judgement (see spelling note below), in a legal context, is synonymous with the formal decision made by a court following a lawsuit. ... Teleology (telos: end, purpose) is the philosophical study of design, purpose, directive principle, or finality in nature or human creations. ...

MacIntyre emphasises the importance of moral goods defined in respect to a community of virtuous persons engaged in a 'practice' - which he calls 'internal goods' or 'goods of excellence' - rather than focusing on practice-independent phenomena such as the obligation of a moral agent (deontological ethics) or on the consequences of a particular moral act (utilitarianism). Virtue ethics in European/American academia is associated with pre-modern philosophers (e.g. Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas), but also fully engaged with other forms of modern ethical systems (e.g. Kantian deontology). MacIntyre has argued that Aquinas' synthesis of Augustinianism with Aristotelianism is more insightful than modern moral theories by focussing upon the telos ('end', or completion) of a social practice and of a human life, within the context of which the morality of acts may be evaluated. A practice refers to a way that something is done. ... An obligation can be legal or moral. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Consequentialism refers to those moral theories that hold that the consequences of a particular action form the basis for any valid moral judgment about that action. ... Utilitarianism (1861), see Utilitarianism (book). ... Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 - March 7, 1274) was a Catholic philosopher and theologian in the scholastic tradition, who gave birth to the Thomistic school of philosophy, which was long the primary philosophical approach of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Aristotelianism is a tradition of philosophy that takes its defining inspiration from the work of Aristotle. ...

After all of this has been said, it should be emphasized that MacIntyre intends the idea of virtue to supplement rather than replace moral rules. Indeed, he describes certain moral rules as 'exceptionless' or unconditional.

Politics

Politically, MacIntyre's ethics informs a defence of the goods of excellence internal to practices against the pursuit of 'external goods', such as money, power and status, that are characteristically pursued by rule-based state and corporate institutions. He has been described as a 'revolutionary Aristotelian'. This is because of his attempt to combine insights from Marx with those of Aquinas and Aristotle. Marxism gives us no moral theory but it does give us an economic and political theory that has always informed MacIntyre's critique of liberalism, which Marxists regard as capitalist ideology. MacIntyre replaces the language of ideology with that of tradition. Like most Western Marxists, he regards ideas not as simple effects of productive relations but, rather, as affecting how people act. He argues that liberalism, like postmodernist consumerism, not only justifies capitalism but really sustains and informs it over the long term. Aristotelianism is a tradition of philosophy that takes its defining inspiration from the work of Aristotle. ... Marx is a common German surname. ... Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 - March 7, 1274) was a Catholic philosopher and theologian in the scholastic tradition, who gave birth to the Thomistic school of philosophy, which was long the primary philosophical approach of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Aristotle (Greek: Aristotélēs) (384 BC – 322 BC) was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. ...

Religion

MacIntyre converted to Roman Catholicism in the early 1980s, and "now does his work against the background of what he calls an Augustinian Thomist approach to moral philosophy." ^[1]

Selected works

• Marxism: An Interpretation. London: SCM Press, 1953.
• New Essays in Philosophical Theology. (Editor with Antony Flew). London: SCM Press, 1955.
• The Unconscious: A Conceptual Analysis, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1958, 2nd Ed. 2004.
• Difficulties in Christian Belief. London: SCM Press, 1959.
• Hume's Ethical Writings. (ed.) New York: Collier, 1965.
• A Short History of Ethics. New York: Macmillan, 1966, 2nd edn. 1998.
• Secularization and Moral Change. The Riddell Memorial Lectures. London: Oxford University Press, 1967.
• The Religious Significance of Atheism. (With Paul Ricoeur). New York: Columbia University Press, 1969.
• Herbert Marcuse: An Exposition and a Polemic. New York: The Viking Press, 1970.
• Against the Self-Images of the Age: Essays on Ideology and Philosophy. London: Duckworth, 1971.
• After Virtue. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1981, 2nd edn. 1984, 3rd edn. 2007.
• Whose Justice? Which Rationality?. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1988.
• Three Rival Versions of Moral Enquiry. The Gifford Lectures. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1990.
• Marxism and Christianity, London: Duckworth, 2nd edn., 1995.
• The MacIntyre Reader. (Knight, Kelvin (ed.)) Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1998. [2]
• Dependent Rational Animals: Why Human Beings Need the Virtues. Chicago: Open Court, 1999.
• Edith Stein: A Philosophical Prologue, 1913-1922. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005.
• The Tasks of Philosophy: Selected Essays, Volume 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.
• Ethics and Politics: Selected Essays, Volume 2. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.
• "The End of Education: The Fragmentation of the American University," Commonweal, October 20, 2006 / Volume CXXXIII, Number 18.
• Blackledge, P. & Davidson, N. (eds.), Alasdair MacIntyre’s Early Marxist Writings: Essays and Articles 1953-1974, Leiden: Brill, 2008.

After Virtue is a highly regarded book on moral philosophy by Alasdair MacIntyre published in 1981 with a second edition appearing in 1984. ... The Gifford Lectures were established by the will of Adam Lord Gifford (d. ... Edith Stein (October 12, 1891 – August 9, 1942) was a philosopher, a Carmelite nun, martyr, and saint of the Catholic Church, who died at Auschwitz. ...

Secondary literature

• Horton, John, and Susan Mendus (eds.), After MacIntyre: Critical Perspectives on the Work of Alasdair MacIntyre, Cambridge: Polity Press, 1994.
• Knight, Kelvin, Aristotelian Philosophy: Ethics and Politics from Aristotle to MacIntyre, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2007.
• Lutz, Christopher Stephen, Tradition in the Ethics of Alasdair MacIntyre: Relativism, Thomism, and Philosophy, Lanham, MA: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004.
• Murphy, Mark C. (ed.), Alasdair MacIntyre, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.

References