old_abe

Who was the most infleuntial thinker of the past? Confucious, Aristotle, Plato, Homer?

Each person gave us something of great important. Aristotle was the teacher of Alexander the Great, so he is a frontrunner for this title. However, in my opinion, it would be more appropriate to say Plato was the most influential thinker of the past... afterall, he taught Aristotle everything he knew.

kahn

How about the man in your signature, Mr. Albert Einstein ?

but if you're talking about ancient history... i would also agree with you that Plato has to be at the top of the list.

celtman

What about Archimedes, he was along the same lines as Da Vinci. He was an ancient Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher born in the seaport colony of Syracuse, Sicily. He is considered by some historians of mathematics to be one of the greatest mathematicians in antiquity.

GeneCosta

Although his very existance is arguable, I would say Jesus Christ. The Crusades, colonization, the Middle Ages, America, Europe, the Inquisitions, the Great Schism, and the Protestant Revolution all tie in with his (supposed) teachings. Without Christianity, our world would be a completely different place.

After that it would be Mohammad.

Commander

Using your logic, wouldn't it be appropriate to then say Socrates is the most influential thinker of the past, since he taught Plato?

spaniard

Karl Marx was one of these icons. He may not be liked by many of you...or perhaps all of you. But he was a prophet of this millenium. No doubt.

Pedro

The 20th century philosopher Alfred North Whitehead said, "the history of western philosophy is nothing but a series of footnotes to Plato."

Soldiers Valhala

Aristotle is, in terms of influence, leagues ahead of both socrates and Plato.

Aristotelian ethics and logic won out against Platonists in western philosophy, and Socrates didn't even really have a philosophy per say, he just asked a lot of questions and provided a martyr for logic and thought.

So, in terms of Ancient thinkers... Aristotle takes the prize.

I'm willing to hear arguments counter to this line of thought but the simple fact is Platonism doesn't have much influence in western thought anymore.

I think today Jesus would outdo Aristotle in terms of influence, but I would guess a thousand years from now, Aristotle will eclipse his influence.

Pfaxt3ld

Jesus

galteeman

i dont think any of these events have much to do with "love your neighbour" so how do they tie in with his teachings