Utopia

Cover Type: Softcover
Book Condition: Fine
Jacket Condition: None Issued
Publisher: Penguin
Publisher Place: London
Publisher Year: 2012
Edition: First Edition

Description: 146 pages. Book appears to have hardly been read and is in Fine condition throughout.

Publishers Description: Thomas Mores Utopia is a masterpiece of Renaissance political philosophy, responsible for introducing the term utopia and spawning an entire genre of utopian and dystopian literature. This Penguin Classics edition is a major new translation from the Latin by Dominic Baker-Smith, and includes an introduction and notes on the text.Even if you cant eradicate harmful ideas or remedy established evils, thats no reason to turn your back on the body politicIn Utopia, Thomas More gives us a travellers account of a newly-discovered island where the inhabitants enjoy a social order based on natural reason and justice, and human fulfilment is open to all. As the traveller, Raphael, describes the island to More, a bitter contrast is drawn between this rational society and the custom-driven practices of Europe. So how can the philosopher try to reform his society In his fictional discussion, More takes up a question first raised by Plato and which is still a challenge in the contemporary world. In the history of political thought few works have been more influential than Utopia, and few more misunderstood.Dominic Baker-Smiths introduction examines the conflicting voices and perspectives of Mores masterpiece and relates them to the European context of his time. This new edition also includes a chronology, notes, appendices, glossary and suggested further reading.Thomas More (1478-1535) succeeded Cardinal Wolsey as Lord Chancellor of England, but came into conflict with the king, Henry VIII, by refusing to acknowledge him as sole head of the church. Charged with high treason, More steadfastly refused to take an oath impugning the popes authority or upholding the kings divorce from Catherine of Aragon. More was tried as a traitor at Westminster Hall, and beheaded on Tower Hill. He was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935.If you enjoyed Utopia, you might like Platos Republic, also available in Penguin Classics.

ISBN: 9780141442327