ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the understanding of More's Utopia relies on the conformity of More's good place or no-place with Kate Soper's ideas of alternative hedonism. There is something of an essayistic spirit in utopian narratives such as Thomas More's Utopia. It serves a fantastic traveller's tale describing an imaginary place: an island society called Utopia. This aspect of the island community fits perfectly well with the philosophy of alternative hedonism: The nature of human happiness in Utopia is discussed at length by Raphael. However, as it turns out, the concept of hedonism in Utopia is rather long term. However, studying Utopia more thoroughly, discovers that some are more equal than others. The chapter argues, the questioning, the underlying scepticism, is a significant part of Thomas More's Utopia. Marius de Geus, in his Ecological Utopias: Envisioning the Sustainable Society, argues that ecological utopias could function as a compass to steer by.
