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Anti-Enlightenment political philosophy is a critical reaction to the Enlightenment and, specifically, the commitments to scepticism and moral equality. One way that such anti-Enlightenment thought developed can be seen in the "historicist" work of MacIntyre, in particular the importance given to tradition. For MacIntyre, settled conviction can be provided by tradition, and settled conviction is needed for practical reasoning, that is, a consensus on the hierarchical ordering of all goods. What is more, to reason well we must learn from the wise person, the expert within the tradition, whether it is the good sportsperson or the good moral agent, and in doing so strive to emulate and even surpass their achievements. And we need to take such an approach, MacIntyre believes, because of the failings of the Enlightenment, and in particular its inability either to provide universal principles of political reason or to safeguard the moral standing of each person.

DOI: 10.1057/9781137291622_4

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