"Aristotle remains the most influential philosopher of practice, and Knight's new book explores the continuing importance of Aristotelian philosophy. It first examines the theoretical bases of what Aristotle said about ethical, political and productive activity. It then traces ideas of social activity through St. Paul, Luther, Hegel, Heidegger and contemporary Aristotelian philosophers, and evaluates the contribution of Alasdair MacIntyre. Knight argues compellingly that, whereas Aristotle's thought legitimated exploitation, MacIntyre's revision of Aristotelianism separates ethical excellence from social elitism and justifies resistance to oppression. With MacIntyre, Aristotelianism becomes revolutionary. MacIntyre's case for the Thomistic Aristotelian tradition developed out of his attempt to elaborate a Marxist ethics informed by analytic philosophy. He analyzes social practices in teleological and ethical terms, opposing them to managerial and capitalist institutions and arguing for the cooperative defence of our moral agency. In presenting these ideas, Knight advances a theoretical argument for the reformation of Aristotelianism and an ethical argument for social change."--BOOK JACKET.