With MacIntyre, Aristotelianism becomes revolutionary. MacIntyre's case for the Thomistic Aristotelian tradition originates in his attempt to elaborate a Marxist ethics informed by analytic philosophy. He analyses social practices in teleological terms, opposing them to capitalist institutions and arguing for the cooperative defence of our moral agency. In condensing these ideas, Knight advances a theoretical argument for the reformation of Aristotelianism and an ethical argument for social change.

Alasdair MacIntyre in Analyse & Kritik

"A clear, judicious history of Aristotelianism in Western thought in order to explain the development of Alasdair MacIntyre's thought. The book is exceptionally well organized, and the analyses of the different interpreters of Aristotle – especially MacIntyre – are intelligently concise and probing. Highly recommended [for] upper-division undergraduates, graduate students and researchers/faculty."

Charles E. Butterworth, Choice

"A very fine piece of scholarship ... [It] will be regularly used for teaching at postgraduate level."

Peter McMylor, (author of Alasdair MacIntyre: Critic of Modernity) writing in Philosophy of Management

"Kelvin Knight puts his readers greatly in debt for this masterful and erudite study of the history of Aristotelian philosophy, with particular emphasis on MacIntyre's place in that history. Notwithstanding his disclaimers in the conclusion, Knight has in fact produced a clear account of 'the conceptual subtleties and political implications' of MacIntyre's Aristotelianism elsewhere unmatched."

Bruce Ballard, author of Understanding MacIntyre

"Philosophically and historically informed, but written in an engaging style, the book presents a stimulating and often distinctive account of key phases in the development of Aristotelian thought, culminating in an extended and sympathetic discussion of the work of Alasdair MacIntyre. Knight's account of MacIntyre's political philosophy is the best that I know of."

John Horton, University of Keele

"This is an impressive intellectual history, both with respect to its account of the various receptions and transformations of Aristotelian practical philosophy generally and with respect to its account of the development and character of Alasdair MacIntyre’s own distinctive Aristotelianism. With respect to the former: Aristotelianism is not a monolithic tradition, and Knight does a masterful job in pulling apart the Aristotelianisms that are elitist from those that are anti-elitist and in pulling apart those Aristotelianisms that are conservative from those that are revolutionary. With respect to the latter: MacIntyre’s views are widely caricatured by shallow writers, and we have been much in need of an account of those views that shows just how radical and anti-elitist MacIntyre’s Aristotelianism is; Knight’s book fulfils this need with great thoroughness and skill."

Mark Murphy, Georgetown University

Patrick Madigan, Heythrop Journal

"Philosophically and historically informed, but written in an engaging style, the book presents a stimulating and often distinctive account of key phases in the development of Aristotelian thought, culminating in an extended and sympathetic discussion of the work of Alasdair MacIntyre. Knight's account of MacIntyre's political philosophy is the best that I know of."

John Horton, University of Keele

"This is an impressive intellectual history, both with respect to its account of the various receptions and transformations of Aristotelian practical philosophy generally and with respect to its account of the development and character of Alasdair MacIntyre’s own distinctive Aristotelianism. With respect to the former: Aristotelianism is not a monolithic tradition, and Knight does a masterful job in pulling apart the Aristotelianisms that are elitist from those that are anti-elitist and in pulling apart those Aristotelianisms that are conservative from those that are revolutionary. With respect to the latter: MacIntyre’s views are widely caricatured by shallow writers, and we have been much in need of an account of those views that shows just how radical and anti-elitist MacIntyre’s Aristotelianism is; Knight’s book fulfils this need with great thoroughness and skill."

Mark Murphy, Georgetown University

• Contents

• Acknowledgements

• Introduction

• I Aristotle’s Theoretical and Practical Philosophy

• II Christian Practice and Mediaeval Philosophy

• III Aristotle in Germany

• IV A Revolutionary Aristotelianism

• Conclusion

• References

• Index