Google AI:Alasdair MacIntyre strongly rejects the liberal view of the self as a "monad" (an atomistic, self-sufficient individual). He argues that this modern conception of the individual, stripped of social roles and communal context, is a key source of the moral fragmentation in contemporary society. MacIntyre's Critique of the "Monadic" Self MacIntyre's work, particularly in After Virtue, criticizes the Enlightenment-era liberal focus on individualism and abstract universal rights. He contends that: Identity is Socially Derived: In contrast to the idea of the self as a pre-social, autonomous entity, MacIntyre argues that an individual's identity is fundamentally a "social creation". Our roles and obligations come from our place within a social network, such as family, community, and tradition.

Alasdair MacIntyre strongly rejects the liberal view of the self as a "monad" (an atomistic, self-sufficient individual). He argues that this modern conception of the individual, stripped of social roles and communal context, is a key source of the moral fragmentation in contemporary society. 

MacIntyre's Critique of the "Monadic" Self

MacIntyre's work, particularly in After Virtue, criticizes the Enlightenment-era liberal focus on individualism and abstract universal rights. He contends that: 

• Identity is Socially Derived: In contrast to the idea of the self as a pre-social, autonomous entity, MacIntyre argues that an individual's identity is fundamentally a "social creation". Our roles and obligations come from our place within a social network, such as family, community, and tradition.
• Morality Requires Context: The modern liberal attempt to establish universal moral rules for individuals in abstraction from any specific social or historical context is a failed project. For MacIntyre, moral judgments only make sense within the framework of a shared "tradition" that provides a narrative structure and a common understanding of "the good".
• Rejection of Emotivism: The "monadic" view, by prioritizing individual preferences and rights over a shared communal good, leads to emotivism, where moral language becomes merely an expression of personal feelings or attitudes used to manipulate others.
• Interdependence over Autonomy: In his later work, Dependent Rational Animals, MacIntyre further emphasizes human vulnerability and interdependence, challenging the liberal ideal of the self-sufficient, independent individual as the norm for rational agency. 

The Alternative: Community and Tradition

MacIntyre advocates for a return to an Aristotelian or Thomistic perspective where the community and shared practices take precedence over the isolated individual. He believes that moral agency and practical rationality can only be recovered through small-scale moral formation within functioning communities and traditions that enable human flourishing (realizing one's telos, or essential nature). 

In summary, the concept of the individual as a monad represents the very position MacIntyre spends his career arguing against, in favor of a conception of the person as inherently embedded in community, tradition, and a shared moral narrative.