Crisis and virtue: non-Kierkegaardian reflections on the meaning of life

Abstract

This paper explores the notion of crisis in modern consciousness vis-à-vis philosophical reflections on the meaning of life. It argues that, as opposed to the Kierkegaardian theory of radical choice, Aristotelian virtue ethics is more philosophically convincing for our pursuit for meaning in life. The essay explores three general aspects of modern capitalism that contribute to the sense of crisis in modern culture: the irrational dictum of formal profit maximization; the dominant notion of instrumental rationality; and the exploitation of labor and natural resources. It argues in favour of the Aristotelian politics of common good and in support of local institutions where virtues of giving and receiving can be learned.