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Work #544 · Mid

Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia)

St. Thomas More
1516 · Latin
Political-philosophical fiction · Northern Renaissance Christian humanism

More's 1516 Utopia — foundational text of utopian political philosophy

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia) (Mid)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Personal
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia)

The temporal life of the imagined utopian community.

Space

Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia)

The fictional island of Utopia.

Matter

Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia)

The embodied utopian-communal citizen.

Observer

Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia)

Raphael Hythlodaeus and the dialogical Thomas More.

Energy

Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia)

Energies of utopian-political community.

Information

Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia)

Foundational utopian-political framework.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Utopia (De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia)

More's utopian fiction has been read both as serious proposal and as ironic satire; the ambiguity is foundational for the genre.