Alasdair MacIntyre, Plain Persons -  How Far Should Plain Persons Be Moral Philosophers? episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 6, 2025 · 18 MIN

Alasdair MacIntyre, Plain Persons - How Far Should Plain Persons Be Moral Philosophers?

from Sadler's Lectures · host Lectures on classic and contemporary philosophical texts and thinkers by Gregory B. Sadler

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th and 21st century philosopher and moral theorist, Alasdair MacIntyre's essay "Plain Persons and Moral Theory" It focuses upon the extent to which what MacIntyre calls "plain persons" need to be or become moral philosophers. He writes: "We can now say something more not only about how much of a moral philosopher the plain person has to be, but also about what kind of a moral philosopher the plain person has to be and how this may differ from situation to situation. The plain person needs as much of a theory as will enable her or him to identify what the significant alternatives are which now confront her or him, and to understand why and how it was in the past that she or he did or did not make mistakes in acting in one way rather than another. That need may not be met, not only if the plain person is insufficiently a theorist, but also if the theory which is made available to her or him, even if true and adequate qua theory, is stated in too much abstraction from the specificities and particularities of her or his historical and autobiographical situation." To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find MacIntyre's essay "Plain Persons and Moral Theory" here - https://amzn.to/3KUbXVf

This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th and 21st century philosopher and moral theorist, Alasdair MacIntyre's essay "Plain Persons and Moral Theory" It focuses upon the extent to which what MacIntyre calls "plain persons" need to be or become moral philosophers. He writes: "We can now say something more not only about how much of a moral philosopher the plain person has to be, but also about what kind of a moral philosopher the plain person has to be and how this may differ from situation to situation. The plain person needs as much of a theory as will enable her or him to identify what the significant alternatives are which now confront her or him, and to understand why and how it was in the past that she or he did or did not make mistakes in acting in one way rather than another. That need may not be met, not only if the plain person is insufficiently a theorist, but also if the theory which is made available to her or him, even if true and adequate qua theory, is stated in too much abstraction from the specificities and particularities of her or his historical and autobiographical situation." To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find MacIntyre's essay "Plain Persons and Moral Theory" here - https://amzn.to/3KUbXVf

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Alasdair MacIntyre, Plain Persons - How Far Should Plain Persons Be Moral Philosophers?

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This episode was published on March 6, 2025.

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This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th and 21st century philosopher and moral theorist, Alasdair MacIntyre's essay "Plain Persons and Moral Theory" It focuses upon the extent to which what MacIntyre calls "plain persons" need to be or...

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