Virtues versus the 'enlightenment project' : a critical appraisal of Alasdair Macintyre's raclaiming of the Aristotelian tradition in moral theory

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:This thesis seeks to evaluate MacIntyre's claim that recourse to the traditionof virtue ethics in the Aristotelian-Thomist sense is the only viable intellectualoption, given the alleged demise of the so-calledEnlightenment Project.It raises a twofold question: First, is it coherent to argue that MacIntyre's reappropriationof an ancient moral tradition is possible? Does such a claimduly reckon with the conditions under which meaningful forms areunderstood? The first claim being defended is that MacIntyre does notsufficiently respect Gadamer's conditions under which understanding occurs.It is also argued that MacIntyre does not provide coherent conditions forrationally choosing between traditions in order to possibly vindicate them. Assuch, MacIntyre's re-appropriating of the Aristotelian tradition in moral theoryis not coherent and convincing.Secondly, does the dichotomy of Nietzsche versus Aristotle represent theonly viable alternatives for us in our efforts to continue the enterprise ofmoral theorising? The second claim being defended is that the dichotomy isnot a coherent way of moral theorising. The third claim being defended isthat Gadamer represents a viable alternative to the ultimatum in that histhought provides the possibility of a more coherent way of moral theorisingthan MacIntyre's.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University