Most influential philosopher of all time?

kmad · Jan 25, 2003

Mostly from the enlightenment

I voted for John Locke because he argued that humans are a product of their environment, ultimately turning into the cornerstone for modern educational systems and how parents raised their children. Locke did a lot of other good stuff too :cool:

Pangur Bán · Jan 25, 2003

Not the best poll...I must say. Marx AND Engels, but no Plato or Aristotle. Gilbert Ryle? He died in 1976, how could he possibly be the most influential philosopher of all time. Newton's not even strictly speaking a philosopher. Voltaire :lol:

But to answer the question, it's got to be either Aristotle or Plato. I happen to think that Aristotle is one of the most important men in history. He systemitized science, in fact, he created it and transmitted it to the medieval Islamic and, more importantly, christian world.

Sorry to start your thread off negatively, but I'm voting for the non-existent other.

wtiberon · Jan 25, 2003

I don't agree with any of those...I would say Socrates because he demanded that everyone question the reality around them.

kmad · Jan 25, 2003

I should have put "Other".. and those ancient philosophers I totally forgot about, next time I make a poll I'm doing some more planning

MCdread · Jan 25, 2003

Of the people on the poll I vote Isaac Newton, but if it's about the modern meaning of the word philosopher, or better said, the modern general view of what a philosopher is then I guess Marx and Voltaire.
Forgeting the poll (which is in fact very limited), my vote would go to Aristotle. He's not my favourite, but he has to be the most influential.

Mongoloid Cow · Jan 26, 2003

I'd go Socrates, or that ancient Sumerian one (forgot the name)

Kafka2 · Jan 26, 2003

Where's Socrates? Aristotle? Lao Tzu?

Newton wasn't a philosopher. He was a scientist, an alchemist, a loony and a crank, but not a philosopher.

kmad · Jan 26, 2003

Like I said before, I kinda rushed this poll, didn't give it much thought.

sween32 · Jan 26, 2003

karl marx was amazing. political views or not.

kmad · Jan 26, 2003

sween i liked your other avatar better

sween32 · Jan 26, 2003

which one? i like this one. i went thru 6 in one day and this is the only one that feels right here at cfc.

philippe · Jan 26, 2003

sween nice avatar of the movie natural born killers.liked that movie

philiosists in the poll:Voltaire
not in the poll

lato,and that other greek guy but can't remember his name.

The ANZAC · Jan 26, 2003

Yeah you leave a lot out: Hobbes, Rousseau, Socrates, Aristotle, Decartes, etc. But especially Immanuel Kant: IIRC he came up with "the ends don't justify the means" though I could be wrong. But he did come up with some other important developments about the human mind. Also Occam and Aquinas are important.

Zarn · Jan 26, 2003

Socrates. None of these people compare.

onejayhawk · Jan 26, 2003

Where are Kant, Hegel and Kirkegaard? Spinoza, Shopenhauer, Wagner, Luther, Augustine, Marcus Areleus, Confucious, I Ching, Lao Tzu, Moses, Mohamed, Bhudda, etc. The list of canddidates is rather longer I think. I lean to Moses personally, with nods to Bhudda and Mohamed.

J

wtiberon · Jan 26, 2003

Confucious would definitly be up there since his philosophies become national policie of China.

Pangur Bán · Jan 26, 2003

Originally posted by onejayhawk
Where are Kant, Hegel and Kirkegaard? Spinoza, Shopenhauer, Wagner, Luther, Augustine, Marcus Areleus, Confucious, I Ching, Lao Tzu, Moses, Mohamed, Bhudda, etc. The list of canddidates is rather longer I think. I lean to Moses personally, with nods to Bhudda and Mohamed.

J

You might add Zarathustra, or Abelard, or Hobbes, or Hume, or Smith, or Plotinus, or Aquinas, or Leibniz, not to mention philosophical megastars like Plato, Aristotle and Descartes

kmad · Jan 26, 2003

Isn't there a 10 choice limit?

And don't you get the picture: I made this poll in about 20 seconds, I didn't really think.

Pangur Bán · Jan 26, 2003

Originally posted by kmad
Isn't there a 10 choice limit?

And don't you get the picture: I made this poll in about 20 seconds, I didn't really think.

I think there are 20 options.

Aphex_Twin · Jan 27, 2003

Originally posted by sween32
karl marx was amazing. political views or not.

All the good stuff from Marx belongs to other thinkers. What he thought of on his own is pretty much crap...

Most influential philosopher of all time?

Most influential philosopher

John Locke

Voltaire

Isaac Newton

Karl Marx

John Calvin

Gilbert Ryle

Friedrich Engels

King

Deconstructed

One man who stands alone

King

Couldn't she get drowned?

Great Khan

Whale-raping abomination

King

The Worthless

King

The Worthless

FYI, I chase trains.

Prince

Le Républicain Catholique

Afflicted with reason

One man who stands alone

Deconstructed

King

Deconstructed

Evergreen

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