The Reconstruction Of Moral Rationality

The rationality of thoughts and actions is a major theme in traditional philosophy and a heated topic in contemporary philosophy. Moral rationality is of fundamental importance to moral philosophy. Alasdair MacIntyre is a major advocator of virtue ethics, which emphasize the cultivation of virtue. However, virtue ethics needs argument to set up a foundation for its assertions. This dissertation attempts to explore the foundation of virtue ethics and make the moral philosophy of MacIntyre a coherent whole.There are two levels to consider for the rebuilding of MacIntyre’s moral rationality. One is the theoretical demonstration of moral rationality, which consists of an Aristotlian tri-argument for moral rationality. Another is the unfolding of moral rationality in reality or its realization. There are two ways for its realization,"theory comes into practice and realize itself", or "practice produces theory and make theory realize itself". We believe that MacIntyre adopts the first approach based on Aristotle’s argument. By the reinterpretation of Marx’s Theses On Feuerbach MacIntyre regains Marx’s practice position. And with the return of this position the tri-argument of Aristotle is realized, which makes moral rationality itself demonstrated and the cultivation of virtue realized. Therefore, the moral philosophy of MacIntyre turns out to be an integrated process, that is, starts from practice and ends with the perfect of virtue.There are merits for MacIntyre’s theory. However, his departure from Marx makes him shy away from the class origin of social relationship which makes his road from practice to virtue empty and utopian.The first chapter will start from the critique of contemporary moral situation, that is, the overflow of emotivism. Then we will focus on the objectivity and authority of moral rationality. Emotivism treats moral action as a private taste and the result of autonomous choice, which makes moral lose its publicity, objectivity and authority.The second chapter will explore the historical evolution of the concept of reason and the teleology framework. Macintyre’s moral rationality depends on a tri-argument of Aristotle whose core structure is the idea of teleology.The third chapter will explore the Aristotle’s tri-argument for moral rationality. The structure is:man as happens to be—ends—man as he could be if he realized his essential nature. This is a process from occasional-oriented man to end-oriented man. Aristotle’s teleology is an immanent one while MacIntyre adopts a historical perspective for teleology.The forth chapter will discuss the process from theory to practice in moral rationality argument. After regaining Marx’s position of practice MacIntyre realized that the demonstration of moral rationality need starting from practice. Furthermore, MacIntyre explore the possibility of go beyond the civil society from practice.Finally, we will summarize the moral philosophy of MacIntyre. His moral philosophy is a coherent whole:historical, in tradition, starting from practice and cultivating the virtue of man.