alasdair macintyre after virtue a study in moral theory

Secondly, Marxism is inherently optimistic(262). First,Marxism appeals to abstract moral principles that it condemns inother systems (261). The third, and his area of main concern,would be objections that the primary moral opposition does not liebetween liberal individualism and Aristotle, but actually liesbetween liberal individualism and some form of Marxism (261).Macintyre rejects this last opposition with two claims. The second set of objections would concern hisactual interpretation of Aristotelian tradition, which greatlydeparts from many scholars. Macintyre goes on to represent three objections that could be madeto his argument, the first being it suggests a systematic 'account ofrationality' (260). He asserts that Nietzsche's liberal individualisticviewpoint lacks a coherent and rationally defensible core tenet,while Aristotle's tradition can be restated to restore moralrationality (259). As Macintyre points out, the moral opposition liesbetween Nietzsche's liberal individualism and the Aristoteliantradition.

TheAristotelian tradition of morality can actually be viewed in adifferent light. Macintyre argues that this plausibility is denied if thesystem of Aristotelian tradition was not wrong (257). He explains that after moralphilosophers discredited Aristotle's views and many other alternativeaccounts of nature and morality, Nietzsche's stance that allstructures of moral belief should be abolished seemed plausible(256). In chapter 18, Macintyre explores the inappropriate discreditingof Aristotelian philosophy.

The users of thislanguage of morality are lost in vacant expressions. Thus,academic discourse on morality remains largely blind and lacking thelanguage to describe moral order and disorder (4). The language of morality,Macintyre insists, was created many years ago and also underwent agreat catastrophe prior to the beginnings of academic history. Macintyre suggeststhat this is the current state of the language of morality it is the'fragments of a conceptual scheme' (2). They woulduse the words, but would not understand the deeper meanings,connections and concepts behind the verbiage. Alastair Macintyre begins his book 'After Virtue: A Study in MoralTheory' with a premise: what if science was abolished and revivedagain years later? In the revival, people would use the language andconcepts of science in a confusing and disordered way.

Alasdair macintyre after virtue a study in moral theory