The Freakonomics blog at the NYTimes has a fun game:
The e-mail gods recently delivered this interesting query from a reader named Derek Wilhelm:
I go to the University of Richmond, which requires [us] to take a class called Core, where we read famous historical books. (Gandhi, Marx, Plato, Augustine, just to name a few). Anyway, my question for you is: Who do you think is the greatest modern-day thinker?
I love this question. It first requires you to define what a “thinker” is, and also raises the question of what incentives exist in the modern world to be a thinker. Also, is someone a great thinker if they’re never able to communicate their thoughts to a broad audience?
Its comments section has gems, such as Lil' Wayne, Yogi Berra, and Homer Simpson, and some more serious nominations--Foucalt, Chomsky, and Dawkins. See for yourself.
The definition, I think, is tougher than nominations. Any thoughts on either?
1 comment:
What do you have for a definition, Abhi?
I think that a significant thinker is a person whose ideas impact other individuals with decision-making impact.
Someone who never (even posthumously) communicates there thoughts is not a significant thinker and probably won't be taught at an undergraduate core class.
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