Should we just get all the major religious figures out of the way?
The way I see it, the criteria should mostly eliminate religious and most military figures
those historical figures who most exemplify the human spirit, who have pushed the boundaries of what we were capable of, who have altered the course of human history for the better, who are not Canadian.
Now Jesus was a pretty cool dude, but the effect Christianity had on the world is highly debatable and that debate is not what we want in this thread. The bolded above at the very least is questionable. As such, despite the great influence of the man/god his influence has been mitigated by those who believe he has not changed the course of human history for the better and he gets bumped.
If this instead was a list of most influential he along with Gengis Khan, Buddha and Hitler would definitely have to make the list. But in order to be great, one must be good and if your "good" is questionable, then so too must your greatness. If your greatness is questionable then you don't make the list of the greatest. That's why I tried to pick unassailable figures, or at least whose influence has been unassailably good.
The man bankrolled many of the era's greatest artists and thinkers leading to an explosion of art and culture after the middle ages, held together the Italian peninsula's array of nations and city-states, and oversaw Florence during the very height of the renaissance. For his troubles, he saw his brother killed in an assassination attempt on the both of them, his wife die of illness, and was very possibly damned on his deathbed by a religious fanatic.
Empires: The Medici is an excellent documentary that sheds much more light on his accomplishments than the wiki page.
Edit: and damn, this needs categories. Political Leaders, perhaps?
Should we just get all the major religious figures out of the way?
The way I see it, the criteria should mostly eliminate religious and most military figures
those historical figures who most exemplify the human spirit, who have pushed the boundaries of what we were capable of, who have altered the course of human history for the better, who are not Canadian.
Now Jesus was a pretty cool dude, but the effect Christianity had on the world is highly debatable and that debate is not what we want in this thread. The bolded above at the very least is questionable. As such, despite the great influence of the man/god his influence has been mitigated by those who believe he has not changed the course of human history for the better and he gets bumped.
If this instead was a list of most influential he along with Gengis Khan, Buddha and Hitler would definitely have to make the list. But in order to be great, one must be good and if your "good" is questionable, then so too must your greatness. If your greatness is questionable then you don't make the list of the greatest. That's why I tried to pick unassailable figures, or at least whose influence has been unassailably good.
While Roosevelt was campaigning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 14, 1912, a saloonkeeper named John Schrank shot him, but the bullet lodged in his chest only after penetrating both his steel eyeglass case and passing through a thick (50 pages) single-folded copy of the speech he was carrying in his jacket.[64] Roosevelt, as an experienced hunter and anatomist, correctly concluded that since he wasn't coughing blood, the bullet had not completely penetrated the chest wall to his lung, and so declined suggestions he go to the hospital immediately. Instead, he delivered his scheduled speech with blood seeping into his shirt.[65] He spoke for ninety minutes. His opening comments to the gathered crowd were, "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose."
Now, this guy was kinda crazy. He denied that motion was possible, and thus the world of motion was an illusion.
Now, this is important for one reason, one thing that changed the way in which the world thought. He was the first person to attempt to construct a logical world view on a purely rational level. He came up with the notion that the world might not be what it seems, and that rational thought can lead us to the truth. Now, with the advent of our scientific world view it seems silly, but it pretty much set the stage for people like Plato, which sets the stage for Aristotle, then science. So there.
LoserForHireX on
"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to give into it." - Oscar Wilde
"We believe in the people and their 'wisdom' as if there was some special secret entrance to knowledge that barred to anyone who had ever learned anything." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Who are these bozos? Well, this magical machine you're using to discuss the greatest historical figures with people thousands of miles away that we typically call a computer is thanks to these two guys. The invention of the computer is our printing press, a technology that is fundamentally altering every aspect of human civilisation. To not include these two individuals would be folly.
Who are these bozos? Well, this magical machine you're using to discuss the greatest historical figures with people thousands of miles away that we typically call a computer is thanks to these two guys. The invention of the computer is our printing press, a technology that is fundamentally altering every aspect of human civilisation. To not include these two individuals would be folly.
I almost nominated Turing, but figured a more comp sci-y person would so I didn't have to.
Also in Turing's favor: broke a ton of German codes in WW2.
enlightenedbum on
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
Well, the first notable democracy that fits modern definitions of such. By most standards. It should also be noted that his rule also saw the seeds of Athens' empire be sown in the rapid expansion and rise if wealth that followed.
Who are these bozos? Well, this magical machine you're using to discuss the greatest historical figures with people thousands of miles away that we typically call a computer is thanks to these two guys. The invention of the computer is our printing press, a technology that is fundamentally altering every aspect of human civilisation. To not include these two individuals would be folly.
These are excellent choices as well, although I think the importance of their contributions to mankind may not be realized for another, oh, hundred years.
I would also put [nomination]Samuel ibn Naghrela[/nomination] and [nomination]Hasdai ibn Shaprut[/nomination], as well as the latter's patron, [nomination]Abd-ar-Rahman III[/nomination].
I would also say [nomination]Levi Eshkol[/nomination] and [nomination]John Quincy Adams[/nomination].
Well, the first notable democracy that fits modern definitions of such. By most standards. it should also be noted that his rule also saw the seeds of Athens' empire be sown in the rapid expasion and rise if wealth that followed.
Modern democracy... if you exclude the women, slaves, the poor, the non-Athenians. So, basically all the rich white dudes. Not that I disagree with you. His name should definitely be on the list.
Well, the first notable democracy that fits modern definitions of such. By most standards. It should also be noted that his rule also saw the seeds of Athens' empire be sown in the rapid expansion and rise of wealth that followed.
Modern democracy... if you exclude the women, slaves, the poor, the non-Athenians. So, basically all the rich white dudes. Not that I disagree with you. His name should definitely be on the list.
More in the system than the people allowed to vote. By the day's standards, he'd have been a raging liberal.
You are aware the 'universe' is the name given by most astronomers to the sphere the center of which is the center of the Earth, while its radius is equal to the straight line between the center of the Sun and the center of the Earth. This is the common account as you have heard from astronomers. But Aristarchus has brought out a book consisting of certain hypotheses, wherein it appears, as a consequence of the assumptions made, that the universe is many times greater than the 'universe' just mentioned. His hypotheses are that the fixed stars and the Sun remain unmoved, that the Earth revolves about the Sun on the circumference of a circle, the Sun lying in the middle of the orbit, and that the sphere of the fixed stars, situated about the same center as the Sun, is so great that the circle in which he supposes the Earth to revolve bears such a proportion to the distance of the fixed stars as the center of the sphere bears to its surface.
Aristarchus of Samos lived from 310 BC to 230 BC and during that time, he posited the first known theory of the heliocentric solar system. His theory would be retold by Archimedes, who was read by Ptolemy and compiled into a book on the various ideas about the nature of the universe. This work would much later be read by Copernicus. That's right, Copernicus cribbed his ideas from an ancient Greek dude. Awesome!
Posts
George Carlin is a philosopher.
Fine, but Martin keeps his own category.
I was going pretty much exclusively for them.
As far as the other requirements (besides importance) I'm not judging before I nominate.
We'll call it overrated people who got shot.
Robert Kennedy can be #2
That Gahndi would beat him out in.
He gets to share the Famous Black Folks category with Obama and Mandela.
<nomination>Nelson Mandela</nomination> btw
The way I see it, the criteria should mostly eliminate religious and most military figures Now Jesus was a pretty cool dude, but the effect Christianity had on the world is highly debatable and that debate is not what we want in this thread. The bolded above at the very least is questionable. As such, despite the great influence of the man/god his influence has been mitigated by those who believe he has not changed the course of human history for the better and he gets bumped.
If this instead was a list of most influential he along with Gengis Khan, Buddha and Hitler would definitely have to make the list. But in order to be great, one must be good and if your "good" is questionable, then so too must your greatness. If your greatness is questionable then you don't make the list of the greatest. That's why I tried to pick unassailable figures, or at least whose influence has been unassailably good.
/my interpretation
edit
Historical not Fictional (just saving Qingu the time)
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
John Lennon
Anyone nominate Gandhi yet? If not...
<nominate>Mahatma Gandhi</nominate>
The man bankrolled many of the era's greatest artists and thinkers leading to an explosion of art and culture after the middle ages, held together the Italian peninsula's array of nations and city-states, and oversaw Florence during the very height of the renaissance. For his troubles, he saw his brother killed in an assassination attempt on the both of them, his wife die of illness, and was very possibly damned on his deathbed by a religious fanatic.
Empires: The Medici is an excellent documentary that sheds much more light on his accomplishments than the wiki page.
Edit: and damn, this needs categories. Political Leaders, perhaps?
Old PA forum lookalike style for the new forums | My ko-fi donation thing.
Okay, then.
<nomination>Nicholas of Myra.</nomination> 4th century bishop out of Turkey.
this quote tree better not be serious cause really y'all
really
<nomination>Woody Guthrie</nomination>
<nomination>Hanibal</nomination>
Radicaly different, i know
My cousin dated the very, very strange grandson of Woodie Guthrie for a while. Product of an Arlo one night stand.
Sweatshops!
<nomination>Simon Bolivar</nomination>
<nomination>Francis Bacon</nomination>
<nomination>Benjamin Franklin</nomination>
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
I was just saying that because the idea of "God" has been the motivating factor behind many early discoveries in human history.
Why, you ask?
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Thus the need for categories. And a playoff for overall awesome.
<nomination>hitler</nomination>
Shut the fuck up.
And I apollogize if i blotched the name. The piano has been drinking.
Now, this guy was kinda crazy. He denied that motion was possible, and thus the world of motion was an illusion.
Now, this is important for one reason, one thing that changed the way in which the world thought. He was the first person to attempt to construct a logical world view on a purely rational level. He came up with the notion that the world might not be what it seems, and that rational thought can lead us to the truth. Now, with the advent of our scientific world view it seems silly, but it pretty much set the stage for people like Plato, which sets the stage for Aristotle, then science. So there.
"We believe in the people and their 'wisdom' as if there was some special secret entrance to knowledge that barred to anyone who had ever learned anything." - Friedrich Nietzsche
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpRqvCps_MQ
He inspired so many video game developers stuck for a final boss.
<nomination>Alonzo Church</nomination
Who are these bozos? Well, this magical machine you're using to discuss the greatest historical figures with people thousands of miles away that we typically call a computer is thanks to these two guys. The invention of the computer is our printing press, a technology that is fundamentally altering every aspect of human civilisation. To not include these two individuals would be folly.
To have that photo taken of you and to still end up universally viewed as a tremendous badass?
He was a tremendous badass.
I almost nominated Turing, but figured a more comp sci-y person would so I didn't have to.
Also in Turing's favor: broke a ton of German codes in WW2.
<nomination>Cleisthenes</nomination>
And his accomplishment? Motherfucking democracy.
Well, the first notable democracy that fits modern definitions of such. By most standards. It should also be noted that his rule also saw the seeds of Athens' empire be sown in the rapid expansion and rise if wealth that followed.
Old PA forum lookalike style for the new forums | My ko-fi donation thing.
edit: Turing's impact was more immediate than Church's insofar as the western world does not currently sprechen sie deutsch
I would also put [nomination]Samuel ibn Naghrela[/nomination] and [nomination]Hasdai ibn Shaprut[/nomination], as well as the latter's patron, [nomination]Abd-ar-Rahman III[/nomination].
I would also say [nomination]Levi Eshkol[/nomination] and [nomination]John Quincy Adams[/nomination].
Modern democracy... if you exclude the women, slaves, the poor, the non-Athenians. So, basically all the rich white dudes. Not that I disagree with you. His name should definitely be on the list.
More in the system than the people allowed to vote. By the day's standards, he'd have been a raging liberal.
Old PA forum lookalike style for the new forums | My ko-fi donation thing.
Aristarchus of Samos lived from 310 BC to 230 BC and during that time, he posited the first known theory of the heliocentric solar system. His theory would be retold by Archimedes, who was read by Ptolemy and compiled into a book on the various ideas about the nature of the universe. This work would much later be read by Copernicus. That's right, Copernicus cribbed his ideas from an ancient Greek dude. Awesome!