EDCMOOC discussion

Here's a link to Guttenberg project for next read: I know the epub version works. Downloaded and already in my iBooks.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2816

Thanks Rick!

Some themes and questions.

1. Utopia or dystopia?

What similarities were there in terms of the division of labour with News From Nowhere?

The interconnectedness of the society's structure mirrored the configuration of the celestial bodies.

Was this a reflection of a society based on Plato's philosophy?

What did you think of the educational regime? Was it a meritocracy?

Please add your thoughts!

In what sense is this utopia? ("ideal society")

Is utopian society necessarily socialist/communist?
Can utopia be compatible with private property?

What did you find the most strange about this utopia?

What aspect of this utopia did you like best?

Tommaso Campanella wrote this book while being imprisoned for his heretic views. Do you notice any influence of his circumstances on the description of the "City of the Sun"?

I read this book in Lithuanian, translated from Latin.
I wanted to find one quote in English translation, but bizarrely could not locate it. I noticed that the English version (at least the one on Gutenberg.org) is missing about 10 pages in the end compared to my version.
How odd!

Interesting! I wonder what was missed out?

Hi all, not sure how many we are, but here are a few questions summarised from above.

1. Was this a Utopian or Dystopian vision?
2. What did you find most strange about this vision?
3. What did you think of the educational regime? Was it a meritocracy?
4. What aspect of this utopia did you like best?
5. Can Utopia be compatible with private property? (I came across a quote somewhere that utopia was seeking for a need for human community)

6. Tommaso Campanella wrote this book while being imprisoned for his heretic views. Do you notice any influence of his circumstances on the description of the "City of the Sun"?

The missing last bits mostly deal with God and religion.
For example, Grandmaster asks "what do they say about Adam's sin?". Sea-Captain's answer even includes the "Golden Rule" (Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them).
He also talks that in this century there are more events than during the past 4000 years, more books are published than during the past 5000 years, etc. More on astrology/planets/constellations.
Sea-Captain says that citizens of the City of the Sun have already invented "the art of flying".
Then there is more talk on God, religion, and free will. Also on astrology - whether it is dangerous, whether it can be used to forecast.
There is also a bit on numerology, especially the significance of number 7.