TakingtheformofadiscussionbetweenthehedonistPhilebus,hisnaivedisciple,ProtarchusandSocrates,"Philebus"isacompellingconsiderationofthepopularbeliefthatpleasureisthegreatestattainablegood.Here,Socratesspeculatesonthedifferingintensitiesofbothpleasureandpain;exploresthenotionthattheycanbedividedintopureandimpuretypes;considerstherelationshipbetweentheoneandthemany;andestablishesknowledgeasafarhighergoal.Aprofoundargumentthattruefulfillmentcanonlybeachievedbythepursuitofbeauty,truthandmoderation,"Philebus"isamongtheearliestandmostfascinatingexplorationsofoneofthemostfundamentalhumanquestions:howtoleadagoodlife.
Meno(AncientGreek:Μένων)isaSocraticdialoguewrittenbyPlato.WrittenintheSocraticdialecticstyle,itattemptstodeterminethedefinitionofvirtue,orarete,meaninginthiscasevirtueingeneral,ratherthanparticularvirtues,suchasjusticeortemperance.Thegoalisacommondefinitionthatappliesequallytoallparticularvirtues.Socratesmovesthediscussionpastthephilosophicalconfusion,oraporia,createdbyMeno'sparadox(akathelearner'sparadox)withtheintroductionofnewPlatonicideas:thetheoryofknowledgeasrecollection,anamnesis,andinthefinallinesamovementtowardsPlatonicidealism.
Awaitinghistrialonchargesofimpietyandheresy,SocratesencountersEuthyphro,aself-proclaimedauthorityonmattersofpietyandthewillofthegods.Socrates,desiringinstructioninthesematters,converseswithEuthyphro,butasusual,themanwhoprofessestoknownothingfaresbetterthanthemanwhoclaimstobeanexpert.OneofPlato’swell-knownSocraticDialogues,Euthyphroprobesthenatureofpiety,andnotablyposestheso-calledEuthyphroDilemma:Dothegodsloveathingbecauseitisholy,orisathingholybecauseitislovedbythegods·