The best philosopher

Orontes · Dec 30, 2005

I think in order to answer this question some qualification is needed. I am going to interpret "best" as the top in: originality, impact and profundity.

The first triumvirate is:

1) Aristotle
2) Plato
3) Kant

Second Order thinkers

4) Hegel
5) Plotinus
6) Descartes

7) Augustine*
8) Aquinas*

9) Locke
10) Hume

Not enough time has past to allow Twentieth Century thinkers ranking within the larger Tradition, however the two most influential within the Twentieth Century are Heidegger and Wittgenstein.

*These are more formally theologians, but are included because of their interpretive originality and impact on Western Thought.

xAtheistx · Dec 30, 2005

The meaning of pwn:

elman · Dec 30, 2005

christianmarine said:
Wow. That's pretty difficult, since there are the most well known, and the unknown as well. I'm not spun up on philosophy to give a correct and intelligent answer, but one of the best I've read for wisdom is Solomon. I'm speaking from through the eyes of Christianity when I say this. Aristotle and Socrates were great also. God bless.

Jerry

Solomon may have been wise in his youth but it is not wise to marry that many women. My choice would be Jesus, with Paul Second, and John third.

Brimshack · Dec 31, 2005

My top 5 would besomething like this (in no particular order):

- Socrates
- Kant
- Wittgenstein
- Husserl
- Nietzsche

ClementofRome · Dec 31, 2005

I am not sure how anyone can choose Socrates w/o choosing Plato? Plato gives us our image of Socrates and it is difficult to say whether the Socrates as presented is the true Socrates....or whether Plato's Socrates is Plato.

ACougar · Dec 31, 2005

I am not sure by what qualifications you select the best philosophers, three great philosophers that don't seem to be mentioned here are:

Marcus Aurelius
Jesus of Nazareth
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

Danhalen · Dec 31, 2005

My tops are:

1)C.S. Peirce
2)John Dewey
3)John Stuart Mill

SedjmNeter · Jan 1, 2006

Imhotep
Master Yoda
Myself

Eudaimonist · Jan 1, 2006

ClementofRome said:
I am not sure how anyone can choose Socrates w/o choosing Plato? Plato gives us our image of Socrates and it is difficult to say whether the Socrates as presented is the true Socrates....or whether Plato's Socrates is Plato.

True!

Brimshack · Jan 1, 2006

ClementofRome said:
I am not sure how anyone can choose Socrates w/o choosing Plato? Plato gives us our image of Socrates and it is difficult to say whether the Socrates as presented is the true Socrates....or whether Plato's Socrates is Plato.

Fair enough,

- "Socratese"

PKJ · Jan 2, 2006

1. Kant - Hume - Locke
2. Frege - Russell - Wittgenstein - Putnam
3. Heidegger - Sartre

Special mention to Spinoza for his genius and the overall beauty of his writings.

PKJ · Jan 2, 2006

Also, I find it hard to believe that some people wrote "Socrates" since we do not have anything by him.

Brimshack · Jan 2, 2006

No, we don't have any writings by him; we have a historical account of his actions and statements. I put the name in quotes as a means of conceding the point that that account is indeed second-hand. Socrates is credited with beginnig modern western philosophy by means of calling a number of previously accepted doctrines into question. This appears to have been the beginnings of a style of discourse that would eventually become modern western philosophy. I am actually much more interested in that accomplishment than I am in any of the specific things that Socrates taught or believed. And if the real person is in any way different than the account of the man and his activities which others have given, then so be it. The Socrates of Plato's manuscripts is the beginning of a dialogue that leads to the others on my list, and that is worth noting. It's worth noting even if I am disatisfied with the specifics of any one of his views, or if there are legitimate questions about the accuracy of that character as regards the real historical person.

Erock83 · Jan 3, 2006

Che, Che, and Che. Did I already say Che?

xAtheistx · Jan 3, 2006

Brimshack said:
No, we don't have any writings by him... The Socrates of Plato's manuscripts is the beginning of a dialogue that leads to the others on my list, and that is worth noting.

Maybe he didn't want to be remembered. But Plato wanted him to be a legend. It would be fair to say he is one today... so looks like Plato won. I guess in that sense, I can't not have Plato on my list.

sjstudy · Jan 9, 2006

i just recently got interested so i don't know them all yet.

Socrates
C.S. Lewis
King Solomon (read Ecclesiastes)

LoveJoy · Jan 15, 2006

Such interesting answers! I am poorly equipped to rank anyone based on anything but reputation and passing familiarity, but I will anyway! Bertrand Russell was my first exposure to philosophy, so I will give him the nod (despite his spiritual opinions). Then I shall say Hegel, and just to be controversial I will round out with Soren (though he really had no formal system and was primarily trying to undo the damage the Hegelian tradition was doing to individualism). My list is, of course, patently ridiculous, but it stands nonetheless!!

Brennin · Jan 15, 2006

Plato, Aristotle, Boethius, Aquinas, Plotinus, Heraclitus, Epictetus, Descarte, Leibniz, Rousseau, Locke...

ACougar · Jan 16, 2006

Erock83 said:
Che, Che, and Che. Did I already say Che?

I like Che too, I disagree with him on many issues however in some areas I think he's quiet brilliant. For those who may not be familier a few quotes:

Where a government has come into power through some form of popular vote, fraudulent or not, and maintains at least an appearance of constitutional legality, the guerrilla outbreak cannot be promoted, since the possibilities of peaceful struggle have not yet been exhausted. - Ernesto Che Guevara

I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves. - Ernesto Che Guevara

There is no other definition of socialism valid for us than that of the abolition of the exploitation of man by man. - Ernesto Che Guevara

At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality. - Ernesto Che Guevara

dannii_uk · Feb 11, 2006

Kant, Rousseau, Sartre, Descartes, Camus (ok not typically a "philosopher" but still) and Marx

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