Greatest Philosopher

[ryanatau]

Quote by: nerdvincent I love Nietzsche (God is dead! said Zarathustra) for his subversive and critical point of view, which he share with us in a very poetic way. I can say I like Spinoza, Descartes and Kant for their rigorous way of thinking, especially Spinoza for his pantheist theory. I don't agree with most of Plato's philosophy, but he remains my favourite antic philosopher (I own most of his works, because I think reading philosopher you don't agree with helps you to develop you own philosophy more than just re-reading philosopher I agree with). I admire most of the existentialists: Nietzsche, as I said earlier, Sartre, Heidegger, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard(a bit less though...). Then I like political philosophy: Marx, Rousseau... Well I like philosophy in general .

I agree for the most part excepts I would have added Augustine, Aristotle, Leibniz, Hegel ("I'm not ugly, but my beauty is a total creation"), Hume, and probably some others. And to the existentialists I would have added Camus and De Beauvoir. Also added Rorty, James, Dewey, and Peirce. But I guess this would be adding to much.

So I'll say my favorite philosopher is Kant. And end with a Nietzsche quote from The Gay Science:

"Kant's joke.— Kant wanted to prove, in a way that would dumfound the common man, that the common man was right: that was the secret joke of this soul. He wrote against the scholars in support of popular prejudice, but for scholars and not for the people."

[Gods_Mercenary]

Quote by: Compugasm Dr. Phil.

Must, control, urge, to throttle!

[Gods_Mercenary]

That being said: Clearly the best philosopher is...

Meh, I'm not a huge fan of guys who sit down to write philosophy, always seems kinda pretentious to me, and you can have a philosophy without actually being a philosopher.

I like Machiavelli, his scope is kind of limited, but a cool dude.

Augustine is cool, but you have to seperate his religious thinking from his thinking in general if you're not a Christian.

[Morality Games]

Quote by: nerdvincent I love Nietzsche (God is dead! said Zarathustra) for his subversive and critical point of view, which he share with us in a very poetic way. I can say I like Spinoza, Descartes and Kant for their rigorous way of thinking, especially Spinoza for his pantheist theory. I don't agree with most of Plato's philosophy, but he remains my favourite antic philosopher (I own most of his works, because I think reading philosopher you don't agree with helps you to develop you own philosophy more than just re-reading philosopher I agree with). I admire most of the existentialists: Nietzsche, as I said earlier, Sartre, Heidegger, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard(a bit less though...). Then I like political philosophy: Marx, Rousseau... Well I like philosophy in general .

If you like Heidegger, try Aristotle and the surviving works of the Pre-Socratics, the latter of which you might be able to find in one book (since only fragments and excerpts survive).

[Sonart]

.

Beyond any doubt!

Calvin & Hobbes

[ryanatau]

Quote by: Morality Games If you like Heidegger, try Aristotle and the surviving works of the Pre-Socratics, the latter of which you might be able to find in one book (since only fragments and excerpts survive).

You can get the majority of Aristotle's works in one book as well.

[ryanatau]

What's up with all the Machiavelli? I expected to see a lot of Nietzsche, Rand, Camus and Sartre but I didn't know Machiavelli was so popular. In fact, no one has even said Camus which I find strange.

[wyoguy]

Here, here Sonart. Hobbes from the pen of Bill Watterson.

[wyoguy]

I'm sure this will get a ton of poo-pooing because they were theists, but...In my opinion, the most influential thinkers since Paul the apostle... John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Knox, John Hus...the list is long.

[Dr_Acula]

Marx! by a landslide

and then Kant, gotta love the kant.
now that you mention him, machiavelli was also a very important figure.

[ryanatau]

Quote by: Dr_Acula Marx! by a landslide and then Kant, gotta love the kant. now that you mention him, machiavelli was also a very important figure.

A quote for a Marx and Kant fan:

"Kant was probably the worst writer ever heard of on earth before Karl Marx. Some of his ideas were really quite simple, but he always managed to make them seem unintelligible. I hope he is in Hell." -H.L. Mencken

[nerdvincent]

Quote by: wyoguy I'm sure this will get a ton of poo-pooing because they were theists, but...In my opinion, the most influential thinkers since Paul the apostle... John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Knox, John Hus...the list is long.

You forgot the most important: Augustine and Aquinas. Of course they were theist philosophers, but there is no need for poo-pooing: there was little to no non-theist philospher before Spinoza, and there was decent philosophers way before Christianity. But you must not restrain yourself to these guys: try Nietzsche, Plato, and all...

[wyoguy]

Quote by: nerdvincent You forgot the most important: Augustine and Aquinas. Of course they were theist philosophers, but there is no need for poo-pooing: there was little to no non-theist philospher before Spinoza, and there was decent philosophers way before Christianity. But you must not restrain yourself to these guys: try Nietzsche, Plato, and all...

Aye, I've got plenty of reading to catch up on, that's for sure. Divorced guy with two kids living with me full time. I've got to take a number for a shot at the bathroom and that's the only quiet place a fella can get some real reflective studying done. lol