 Socrates discusses with a friend who, in contrast with other Platonic dialogues, is "not" the Hipparchus of title, and remains unnamed throughout the text.The dialogue open with a direct question by which Socrates sets the theme for the entire discussion, namely "what is love of gain" ("τί γὰρ τὸ φιλοκερδές").His friend answers that it's considering it "worth while to make gain out of things of no worth" (225a), which Socrates proves impossible, as all men who make gains have knowledge of their vocation, and know worthy from worthless in their particular domain (225b-226d).