On MacIntyre
Wadsworth Publishing Company (November 11, 2002). 112 Pages. ISBN-10: 0534622445 ISBN-13: 978-0534622442
How are we to live? What makes a good person and how are we to figure out which way of life is to be preferred over others? These are the questions that concern Alasdair MacIntyre.
Born in 1929, in Glasgow, Scotland, MacIntyre has become one of the most important philosophical voices of the late twentieth century. With a sweeping knowledge of history and an eloquent style of writing, MacIntyre convinces his readers that morality is inseparable from cultural heritage, and that different ways of reasoning—different ways of thinking—are in constant conflict. He describes a world in which rival moral systems struggle to survive and to overshadow their competitors, and one in which beliefs can only be defended by appealing to important texts, sacred scriptures, and lengthy histories.
MacIntyre’s work is required reading for all those who want to understand what it means to be virtuous, and what it means to have a cultural identity and a tradition. What is our connection to our history? Why are sacred texts such as the Bible or the Koran important? Is true religious belief still possible in the modern world? What is the Good life? How can we defend our opinions against those who disagree with us? MacIntyre addresses all of these questions.
On Alasdair MacIntyre is ideal for those who seek an introduction to the most current and controversial philosophical debates. It provides a summary account of MacIntyre’s fifty-year career in clear and accessible language, culminating in a chapter defending MacIntyre against his most vocal critics. Readers of this book will develop a strong sense of MacIntyre’s importance, his strengths and weaknesses, and his connection to modern philosophy. Readers will also be able to use this book as a foundation for further reading in both moral theory and philosophy.
On MacIntyre, like other titles in the Wadsworth Philosopher's Series, offers a concise, yet comprehensive, introduction to this philosopher's most important ideas. Presenting the most important insights of well over a hundred seminal philosophers in both the Eastern and Western traditions, the Wadsworth Philosophers Series contains volumes written by scholars noted for their excellence in teaching and for their well-versed comprehension of each featured philosopher's major works and contributions. These titles have proven valuable in a number of ways. Serving as standalone texts when tackling a philosophers' original sources or as helpful resources for focusing philosophy students' engagements with these philosopher's often conceptually daunting works, these titles have also gained extraordinary popularity with a lay readership and quite often serve as "refreshers" for philosophy instructors.
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