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Philebus

Written by Plato

"Philebus" by Plato is a philosophical dialogue written around 360-347 BC. It presents a debate between Socrates and two young Athenians about whether pleasure or reason constitutes the highest good. The conversation explores the nature and hierarchy of different pleasures, distinguishing between beneficial and harmful forms. Through this ethical investigation, Socrates examines broader questions of being, knowledge, and proper measure. The dialogue concludes with a universal value order that assigns pleasure its appropriate—but subordinate—place in the good life.

Level C1 pagesEnglish

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Categories: Classics Philosophy & Ethics

Readers: Adults Teens

Suggested age: 16+ (AI estimate)

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"Philebus" by Plato is a philosophical dialogue written around 360-347 BC. It presents a debate between Socrates and two young Athenians about whether pleasure or reason constitutes the highest good. The conversation explores the nature and hierarchy of different pleasures, distinguishing between beneficial and harmful forms. Through this ethical investigation, Socrates examines broader questions of being, knowledge, and proper measure. The dialogue concludes with a universal value order that assigns pleasure its appropriate—but subordinate—place in the good life.

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Level C1

Language difficulty is an AI estimate based on sampled text.

Reader and content guidance is an AI estimate based on the title, author, source summary, contents and selected excerpts. Unseen portions have not been assessed.

Recommended age: 16+ (AI estimate)
Content in samples is not explicit, but abstract argument about pleasure, desire, mind and the good life requires mature reasoning. Younger teens could read excerpts with teacher support; independent enjoyment is more defensible from 16. Based on named-book metadata and selected excerpts; unseen text was not assessed. This is guidance, not an official age rating; individual reading ability varies.

Source: Project Gutenberg · Public domain in the USA.

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