# G. E. Moore — Principia Ethica character guide > G. E. Moore in Principia Ethica by G. E. Moore. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Unknown, me, myself, mine, ourselves, ours, Our, our **First appearance:** 0004-principia-ethica ## Snapshot A Cambridge philosopher who tears down everyone else's ethics to prove that 'good' is indefinable, then dares to say what is good anyway. ## Who they are Moore is the book's author, narrator, and chief combatant — a Trinity College don who treats the entire history of moral philosophy as a crime scene of logical errors. He is disarmingly honest about his own work's defects, admitting in his preface that he could not stop correcting it without rewriting the whole book, yet he is ruthless toward the 'naturalistic fallacy' in others. His central obsession — that goodness is a simple, unanalyzable property, like yellow — drives the early chapters and sets the terms for every argument that follows. ## In the story ### [Dedication](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/dedication) The author, dedicating his work to his Cambridge teachers and friends. ### [Preface to the 1903 Edition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/preface-to-the-1903-edition) Author of the preface, setting out his aims and acknowledging influences and oversights. ### [Preface to the 1922 Edition](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/preface-to-the-1922-edition) Author of the book, reaffirming his agreement with its main tendency and conclusions in 1922. ### [Principia Ethica](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/principia-ethica) Author and central philosopher presenting his ethical theory. ### [I: The Subject-Matter of Ethics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/i-the-subject-matter-of-ethics) The author and primary voice, arguing for the indefinability of 'good' and critiquing naturalistic ethics. ### [II: Naturalistic Ethics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/ii-naturalistic-ethics) Author and primary voice; defines and critiques naturalistic ethics, identifies the naturalistic fallacy, and examines Spencer's views. ### [III: Hedonism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/iii-hedonism) Author and primary critic of Hedonism; argues against Mill and Sidgwick. ### [IV: Metaphysical Ethics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/iv-metaphysical-ethics) Author and central critic; argues against metaphysical ethics and the naturalistic fallacy. ### [Ethics in Relation to Conduct](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/v-ethics-in-relation-to-conduct) Author and primary voice; argues for the causal definition of 'right' and analyzes virtue's intrinsic value. ### [VI: The Ideal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/vi-the-ideal) Author and primary voice; presents his conclusions on intrinsic goods and evils, and defends his method of ethical reasoning. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/characters/george_edward_moore - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/characters