Konstantinov, M. S. The Burden of Virtue: Moral Concepts of Communitarianism

Abstract: The author of the article analyzes the key concepts and associate moral frames of the political philosophy of communitarianism from the point of view of the integrative cognitive approach. The author appeals to publications by such communitarians as Michael Sandel, Alasdair Macintyre, Charles Tylor and Michael Walzer in order to reveal the conceptual frame-based structures of their moral argumentation. Theintegrativecognitiveapproachinvolvesacomprehensive study of interdependence of political morals and ideology. Such a study is performed based on the combination of methods from activity and conceptual approaches as well as the frame analysis. Specific feature of this approach is the study of the means of moral motivation and the logic of purposes of political actions that are engaged in cognitive and axiological structures (‘basic concepts’ or ‘moral frames’) of political ideologies. Among the main concepts of communitarianism the author of the article underlines the concepts of ‘community’, ‘welfare’ and ‘virtue’. These concepts are associated with the frames of civic consciousness, responsibility for actions performed by the community, commitment and etc. The results of this research can be of interest to a wide range of both Russian and foreign researchers who conduct studies in the spheres of political theory, political ethics, moral and political philosophies.

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