Buddhism Quote by Alasdair C. MacIntyre
““We are so accustomed to classifying judgments, arguments and deeds in terms of morality that we forget how relatively new the notion was in the culture of the Enlightenment.””
About This Quote
Source Book: After Virtue, Alasdair C. MacIntyre, 1981
We habit moral language, forgetting it emerged relatively recently in Enlightenment thought.
In simple terms: Moral categories are historically recent.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the historical contingency of moral concepts.
Themes
ethics
history
enlightenment
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- ethical education
- public discourse
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
historical relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing moral concepts' recent origin affect your judgments?
- Can moral language be universal?
A Different Perspective
Moral frameworks can still feel timeless despite their recent origin.
![“The extraction of discrete parts of Chöd teachings from their broader philosophical contexts is symptomatic of how Chöd has been incorporated into and transmitted through other Tibetan Buddhist lineages. For example [...] Chöd practices gradually merged with pre-existing models of deity yoga, such…” quote by Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b05/michelle-sorensen-60370_2013_the-extraction-of-discrete-parts-of-ch-d_4303.jpg)