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Principia Ethica · Character

Socrates

Classical philosopher invoked in dialogues about ethical inquiry and the good.

minor

Also known as your

First appearance: i the subject matter of ethics

Socrates's tie to Protarchus is one of the pressures that moves Principia Ethica—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.

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With Protarchus (friendship): Protarchus is Socrates' interlocutor in the Philebus, engaging in dialectical inquiry about the nature of…

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The fuller portrait of Socrates sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Socrates in i the subject matter of ethics

Character Web

6 connections

A slice of how Socrates sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

GEG. E. MoorePRProtarchusJBJeremy BenthamPLPlatoHSHerbert SpencerSOSocrates

Relationship types

  • Friendship
  • Other

Character groups

  • Pleasure dialogue participants
  • Protagonist
  • Hedonistic ethics critics
  • Broad ethical reference group

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupBreaking pointAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the text declares that we must finally understand what "good"…

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Relationships

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Socrates in i the subject matter of ethics