Scottish author and philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre, who tore up the work he was writing on ethics in 1981 "and produced what became his best known book, After Virtue," died May 21, the Guardian reported. He was 96. While MacIntyre described himself as "a revolutionary Aristotelian," he was also an enthusiast for the ethics of Thomas Aquinas. "Forward to the 13th century" was the motto jokingly attributed to him.
Noting that by reviving the sort of ethics that identifies "the good" with human flourishing, "MacIntyre aimed to lead us out of 'the new dark ages,' presumably into a better future," the Guardian wrote, adding that he "influenced the resurgence of virtue ethics and communitarianism (he denied espousing either), and the now fashionable distrust of liberalism, individualism and the Enlightenment."
MacIntyre's other books include A Short History of Ethics (1966), Against the Self-Images of the Age (1971), Whose Justice? Which Rationality? (1988), Three Rival Versions of Moral Enquiry (1990), and Dependent Rational Animals (1999).
After earning an MA at Manchester University (1951)--where he taught the philosophy of religion--MacIntyre lectured in philosophy at Leeds University (1957-61), was a research fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford (1961-62), senior fellow at Princeton (1962-63), fellow of University College, Oxford (1963-66), and professor of sociology at Essex University (1966-70).
He moved to the U.S. to become professor of history of ideas at Brandeis University (1970-72), and later held professorships at Boston, Vanderbilt and Duke universities, as well as the University of Notre Dame (1988-94 and 2000-10, then emeritus).