The Principia Ethica represents a landmark in the history of ethical philosophy. Published in 1903, Moore's text set the framework within which philosophical thought developed analytically throughout the 20th century.

The originality of the work lies not only in the introduction of ideas that would influence the evolution of ethical perceptions, social sciences, literary avant-garde, and aesthetic theory, but also in the novel method with which it addresses fundamental issues of human thought.

In the Principia Ethica, a new perspective on the practice of philosophy is implemented, which will largely define the development of many branches of contemporary research: analytical philosophy, as conceived by Moore, starts from the clarification of the meanings of what we say, in order to illuminate the often unspoken assumptions of our actions.

The most significant ethical theories, from Plato and Aristotle to Kant and Mill, are subjected to critical scrutiny by Moore, while simultaneously highlighting their fertility for understanding ethical phenomena.

Through the exhaustive discussion of the concept of the good, the significance of pleasure, the relationship between duty and virtue, the value of interpersonal relationships, and the experience of art, the Principia Ethica will establish the terms under which some of the major debates in philosophy continue to be articulated to this day.

The edition includes a postscript where the central argument of Moore's ethical thought is analyzed, and the main critical approaches to the Principia Ethica are reconstructed. Clarifications of terms and concepts are also provided, along with brief interpretative notes or references to works that focus on specific points of Moore's argumentation. The edition is completed with an extensive international bibliography.