Reflections On The Methodology Of Alasdair MacIntyre's Moral Philosophy

In his After Virtue, Alasdair Maclntyre, a famous modern US philosopher, puts forward the concept of "moral ethics", making a profound analysis of the Western ethical tradition from historical, philosophical, and cultural perspectives. Whose Justice? Which Rationality, another masterpiece by the same author, is an exposition of the transformation of the four traditions of the western classic ethics, reiterating Aristotle's virtue ethics and posing a criticism of Roll's descriptive ethics.Alasdair Maclntyre's theory causes quite a repercussion in the western philosophical field and found a mixed reception. Some believe his theory to be the best resolution to the contemporary moral crisis in the West, helping humanity out of the ethical plight; whereas others his call for return to Aristotle's virtue ethics is simply a Utopia. Obviously present scholarship on Alasdair Maclntyre's moral philosophy focus more on the content of his theory than his methodology. Even if some scholars occasionally touch upon his way of analysis, they almost all agree that Alasdair Maclntyre's theory is not moral philosophy, but a historical narration because it is devoid of theoretical exposition and critical orientation.The author of this thesis thinks that the significance of moral philosophy lies in the fact that it enables us to ponder over how to interpret historical conditions and restrictions. What underlies Alasdair Maclntyre's theory is not a sort of solution to moral crisis but a historical analysis of the ethical tradition. He points out the universal and abstract justice is an illusion and regards as an ethical basis the individual's emotions, judgments, and associations in particular situations. To be distinguished from Hegel's historicism, the author label Alasdair Maclntyre's methodology as neo-historicism. In view of the preserit negligence and criticism in the scholarship, the author reflects upon the neo-historical methodology from four aspects. First, necessityfor a neo-historical methodology. Since modern humanity is seeking for some objective, universal and non-individual way of thinking, moral philosophers are looking for objective and universal moral standards. However, the theoretical plight of Roll's descriptive ethics has proved to be a failure, thereby necessitating a neo-historicism. Second, application of neo-historicism. The author summarizes how Alasdair Maclntyre deal with the ethical traditions from the neo-historical perspective, concluding that any virtue interpretation should be related to its historical convention. Third, characteristics of neo-historicism: define virtue in practice; examine virtue in historical context; understand virtue in abstract human nature criticism; emphasize virtue in the light of rules. Fourth, the intrinsic contradictions of neo-historicism and suggested solutions. 1) antithesis between internal and external interests in neo-historicism; 2) both incommensurability of cultures and inseparability of interpretation and evaluation of rationality and history of a tradition make impossible dialogues and communications between cultural traditions. As for the first contradiction, the author believes that institutional ethics is no less important than virtue cultivation. In terms of the second, the author not only analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of "universal ethics" but also points out that the attempt of universal practice from below is reasonable and feasible.