[gregr507]

Hey guys I'm working on some college application stuff and one of the essays wants me to write about who I think will be regarded as a great thinker of the 21st century in 1000 years, and whose thoughts and ideas or work will still be discussed in 1000 years. It can be anyone from politics to science to civil rights, basically just about anyone. So who do you think will be regarded as great thinker of the 21st century? I'm trying to come up with someone fairly original for the essay and I've got a few ideas but I would like to see what you guys have to say. Thanks

 

[Born2bwire]

Spongebob Squarepants.

Seriously though, 21st century? Six years is kinda narrow timeframe to find someone of 1000 year significance.

 

[granodemostasa]

Clark Kerr-came up with the idea that a good education can be availible to every student who works for it. (former president of the University of California).
wait... 21st, the five year old century? for this century i think Bush has got an early lead on everyone simple becuase there hasn't been a bigger news maker in the last five years.

 

[hciman77]

Just look for great C20th century thinkers who are still alive and active...

Try googling "greatest living thinkers"

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Rael , assuming he actually clones someone and the aliens show up.

Somebody is going to nominate Steve Jobs any minute now, but I think hes really nothing more than the next P.T.Barnum

I don't think the 21st century has had its uber-genius yet. And if we have, its gonna be a pretty sad century. In all likelyhood you should be looking towards China for any big 21st century news (Like America owned the 20th and England&Germany owned the 19th century enlightment).

 

[elmoe]

America owning the 20th century enlightenment? lol...

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jashugan America owning the 20th century enlightenment? lol...

Who owned it, then, and why?

America did own the 20th century, as England owned the 19th. As for the 21st, we'll see...(or maybe not - none of us will live to see it completed).

 

[TMHBAT]

Daniel Dennett, perhaps, although his reputation will (I assume) be based primarily on late 20th century work.

Obviously, pretty much any answer would be fairly ridiculous in 2006, but the above will at least get you noticed (of course, you would need to know something about him to write a meaningful response. . .).

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregr507 Hey guys I'm working on some college application stuff and one of the essays wants me to write about who I think will be regarded as a great thinker of the 21st century in 1000 years, and whose thoughts and ideas or work will still be discussed in 1000 years. It can be anyone from politics to science to civil rights, basically just about anyone. So who do you think will be regarded as great thinker of the 21st century? I'm trying to come up with someone fairly original for the essay and I've got a few ideas but I would like to see what you guys have to say. Thanks

That's rough - How many thinkers from the year 1000 are we still discussing? Here are a few things that I predict will still be discussed in 100 years, from thinkers alive today:

1. Bill Gates will be remembered (he may even make the thousand-year list);
2. GW Bush MAY be remembered, if the middle east gamble he's made pays off. I know it's hard for some of the folks on this board to believe, but if that happens (and it could) he'll go down as one of the great presidents. If not, he'll be a Harding-esque footnote. Viewed from that perspective it's an extraordinary gamble - one that few presidents would have been willing to make. Love him or hate him, he's staked everything on the idea of democratizing the middle east as the way out of a 60-year-long crisis (history will remember this period as part of a decades-long mideast struggle that began with the fall of the Ottoman Empire and exploded with the founding of Israel in 1948).
3. J.K Rowling: The Harry Potter books are destined to be studied for generations for their symbolic and literary content - mark my words. Our grandkids will read them the way we read Thomas Hardy now.

I predict that this will largely be a "lost" period of history, because our dependence on unproven digital recordkeeping will not stand the test of time - not to mention the completely ephemeral nature of most of our communications. Thus, in a thousand years people will know a lot more about the 19th century than the 21st.

There are a few thoughts...

 

[max-9]

The "Great Thinkers" of today are hidden deep inside corporations ... Nameless individuals lost in the machine.
Bill Gates and Spongebobsquarepants are just results of the genius behind the machine.

 

[wali]

Noam Chomsky
Richard Dawkins
Jean-Paul Sartre

 

[jagorev]

In addition to what others have said, Joan Didion. Her latest book is incredible. Not an academic, but certainly a public intellectual.

 

[blip]

Depends on what you mean by great thinkers.

In terms of people that will be remembered as being important by intellectuals/academics who study the shifting intellectual climate:
Lawrence Lessig
Al Franken
Maureen Dowd
Antonio Negri (maybe)
Stephen Hawkings
George Soros (maybe, though he may be considered part of the last century)
Jared Diamond
Bill O'Reily (maybe, though if he is it will just be as a representative of a larger trend which doesn't really have an intellectual to be centered around)
Noam Chomsky (maybe, though he may be considered part of the last century)
Ralph Nader (maybe, but only if the Green party does a bit better next time around)

I'd be shocked if Bush is ever considered a great thinker. (Great president maybe... its nothing against him its just that presidents as a rule are not remembered as great thinkers with the possible exceptions of Carter, who isn't remembered as a president and Kennedy, whose early death perpetuated the mythology surrounding him. Also, Lincoln but I doubt Bush will live up to those standards. Really Iraq just doesn't matter as much as the Civil War did!) But if Iraq turns out well there are a few neo-con philosophers that would be remembered. If it goes badly then there are some that will be remembered as fools.

As for great technical innovators (not because they deserve it but because they will be remembered):
Bill Gates
Steve Jobs
Linus Torvald
(Come to think of it, there haven't been that many technical innovators in this century!)

In terms of pure philosophers... That's hard to say. I can't think of too many people post-Derrada that have said anything all that new or interesting.... No real philosophical revelations this century thus far.

In terms of great shapers of popular culture. Rowling's probably, though I suspect that it will be more muffled than many of us think. (Time has a way of doing that). Actually I suspect that accurate study of 21st century pop culture will be less individual based and more corporate based. So it might be more accurate to say things like Nike.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wali Noam Chomsky Richard Dawkins Jean-Paul Sartre

Sartre doesn't count 'cause he's dead!! Apparently there WAS an exit...

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blip I'd be shocked if Bush is ever considered a great thinker. (Great president maybe... its nothing against him its just that presidents as a rule are not remembered as great thinkers with the possible exceptions of Carter, who isn't remembered as a president and Kennedy, whose early death perpetuated the mythology surrounding him. Also, Lincoln but I doubt Bush will live up to those standards. Really Iraq just doesn't matter as much as the Civil War did!) But if Iraq turns out well there are a few neo-con philosophers that would be remembered. If it goes badly then there are some that will be remembered as fools.

Well said. My inclusion of Bush was in the vein of "who will be remembered", not necessarily "great thinkers".

Having said that, in the long run I think that Iraq (as a part of a larger mideast context) could end up being as well-remembered as the Civil War. Both represent turning points for large ethnic populations.

Pretty fun to theorize...