The compartmentalization of life into social roles: a study based on Alasdair Macintyre

Abstract

This study investigates the fragmentation of the self into social roles and its implications for moral responsibility, based on the philosophy of Alasdair MacIntyre. The analysis focuses on contemporary culture characterized by emotivism, which hinders the recognition of a universal human good and the development of moral agency. MacIntyre criticizes the liberal individualism of modernity, suggesting that the compartmentalization of social roles results in moral disorder, preventing the formation of a unified self. He argues that by acting according to the specific norms of each social role, individuals disregard a greater good, exemplified by the lack of integrity and constancy, virtues essential for possessing other virtues. The research highlights the importance of environments that allow for critical reflection and the development of moral agency. In the absence of such environments, a moral agent may fail to recognize and transcend existing standards, leading to shared moral responsibility within the sociocultural structure. MacIntyre proposes that moral agents should be responsible not only for their social roles but also as rational individuals, promoting intersubjective dialogue and the pursuit of a greater good for human life.