The English philosopher George Edward Moore (1873-1958) was one of the originators of conceptual and linguistic analysis, the dominant trend in modern English philosophy.

Born on Nov. 4, 1873, in Upper Norwood, a suburb of London, G. E. Moore was the fifth of eight children in a cultivated family. After initial tutoring at home by his father, Moore was sent to a nearby day school, Dulwich College. There he pursued classical studies and music and formed the basis for his fine prose style. Excellence in these studies won him a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, which he entered in 1892.

At Cambridge, Moore discovered philosophy and a wide circle of friends, Bertrand Russell introducing him to both. After completing his degree with a first, Moore won the annual fellowship prize with an essay on Immanuel Kant's ethics. The 6 years of leisure provided by the fellowship enabled Moore to break away from...