[arnoldsoccer4]

Stay in that time period. Let the debate begin, say why you think each person belongs on your list.

 

[blessingx]

That time period being since the Renaissance? Not that narrow of a chunk of time.

 

[Assorted]

Assuming this is since, as in post Renaissance...

Corelli because he formalized sonatas and concertos, <- the person in my avatar because he first utilized the current tonal system and in some way inspire other great composers like Mozart.

Oh that's right, we're talking about material and social science too right?

Copernicus/Galileo: astronomy
Lavosier: chemistry
Locke: Essay Concerning Human Understanding
Hooke: microscope, yes I know there were optical devices before him but I consider this most influential device in microbiology

too many to debate over

 

[granodemostasa]

Finalists
1. Martin Luther- the reformation, reshaping of Europe, the concatenation of the individual from society.
2. Carl Marx- theory that would dominate much of 19th and 20th century
3. James Madison- constitutional democracy, founder of most powerful country in history.
4. Charles Darwin- misunderstanding of his works caused much suffering (think Hitler's racial theories), however contribution to biology was enormous
5. Issac Newton- calculus, physics, the embodiment of the modern age
6. Adam Smith- economic theory that would go unchallenged until late 20th century, created dominant analytical framework for US and UK economist
7. Christopher Columbus- first modern European to visit western hemisphere
8. Galileo- challenged aged institution, eventual triumph of science over superstition.
9. Elizabeth I- Led eventual superpower through dark moments, presided over British renaissance.

Good contenders:
1. Woodrow Wilson- first to articulate self-rule to European colonies, League of Nations, presented liberal alternative to autocratic rule.
2. John XXIII- fundamentally changed the institution that plays role in the lives of 1.3 billion people.
3. Albert Einstein- changed physics, epitomized scientific revolution, led to the nuclear bomb,
4. George Washington- led first "new-world" revolution, first to hand power back to the people in over 2K years.
5. Adolf Hitler- started war that ended 55 million lives, holocaust still hangs over western civilization
6. Simon Bolivar- started liberation of South America
7. Hernan Cortez- first major colonial conquest, ended Aztec empire, started rush to settle/colonize the new world
8. John Locke- ideas that led to modern democratic practices and laws
9. SigmundFreud- influence on culture is profound
10. Henry Ford- changed transportation, modern industry
11. Joseph Stalin- millions fought and died for him... and because of him
12. Beethoven- paradigm that dominated music for a century
13. Rousseau- articulation of ideas that led to many 19th and 20th century revolutions.
14. Napoleon- change in European laws, spread of ideas, caused congress of Vienna, sold Louisiana territory to US
15. Thomas Edison- all kinds of important stuff
16. Mao- the people's republic, caused much death

Notables:
1. Bill Gates- Microsoft, leader in information revolution
2. Franklin Delano Roosevelt- rise of USA, WWII winner
3. John Paul II- Gorbachev once asked how many divisions does the pope have...
4. J.S. Bach- his music helped in the creation of the modern orchestra
5. Ghandi- Freedom of India
6. D. W. Griffith- the modern film industry
7. Abraham Lincoln- saved the union, ended slavery, set up the USA to become world's premier economic power
8. Alexander Grahmn Bell- telephone
9. Isabella I- unification of Spain and future world power, sponsor of Spanish renaissance and exploration
10. Jiang Zemin/Deng Ziaoping- rise of China
11. Oppenheimer- da bomb= caused shadow to fall over the world
12. Machiavelli- he articulated what would later become "real-politic" style of governance.
13. Otto Von Bismarck- the unification of Germany, founder of modern diplomacy
14. King George III- last true monarch of England, caused the 13 colonies to revolt, wars with Napoleon, and a shift in the power to parliament.
12. J.D. Rockefeller- founder of modern oil industry, leader in integration movement of late 19th century

 

[Crazy88]

Oh god.... this requires too much thinking. There are so many to choose from... I commend you granodemostasa, as you have developed a fine list nearly as long as your name, and a fine name at that.

 

[F107plus5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Assorted /img/forum/go_quote.gif Assuming this is since, as in post Renaissance... Corelli because he formalized sonatas and concertos, <- the person in my avatar because he first utilized the current tonal system and in some way inspire other great composers like Mozart. Oh that's right, we're talking about material and social science too right? Copernicus/Galileo: astronomy Lavosier: chemistry Locke: Essay Concerning Human Understanding Hooke: microscope, yes I know there were optical devices before him but I consider this most influential device in microbiology too many to debate over

You're just using Corelli cause he gave the spark for the Canadian National Anthem. You ain't foolin' no one.

 

[randerson3024]

1. Joseph Stalin
2. J.Robert Oppenheimer
3. Adolf Hitler
4. Martin Luther
5. Galileo
6. Franklin Roosevelt
7. Charles Darwin
8. Beethoven
9. Abraham Lincoln
10. Sigmund Freud

Not necessarily in that order............and so many more.

 

[Binaural Fusion]

George Bush

Edit: and James Bond

 

[VicAjax]

i'm going to throw my hat in with Charles Darwin

 

[a shovel]

Ellen Page

 

[Binaural Fusion]

I might throw a garment of mine in for James Watt.

 

[catachresis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Assorted /img/forum/go_quote.gif Assuming this is since, as in post Renaissance... Corelli because he formalized sonatas and concertos, <- the person in my avatar because he first utilized the current tonal system and in some way inspire other great composers like Mozart. Oh that's right, we're talking about material and social science too right? Copernicus/Galileo: astronomy Lavosier: chemistry Locke: Essay Concerning Human Understanding Hooke: microscope, yes I know there were optical devices before him but I consider this most influential device in microbiology too many to debate over

I'm sympathetic to your choices. I think I might complicate them -- rather than challenging them outright -- with a few additions:

Francis Bacon - The Advancement of Learning and The New Organon - the first great manifestos of the principles of New Science since Aristotle (everybody read them or claimed to have read them)

Thomas Hobbes - De Cive and Leviathan
More Locke - Two Treatises of Government ('cause you wouldn't have Western constitutional democracies without it)

Isaac Newton - took the work of Kepler/Galileo/Copernicus and made a framework for universal physics to last to Einstein

Don't forget that Descartes not only made mind/body dualism famous, but he invented advanced algebra too.

Frankly, I want to contend that David Hume effectively invented a wholly secularized framework for critical theory and modern speculative philosophy. Hume's a bit like The Velvet Underground -- from Kant to G.E. Moore and Wittgenstein, anybody who ever read his Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding went on to create her/his own speculative philosophy. But it's easier to credit the great changes in the world to Hume's much less clever student, Adam Smith - The Wealth of Nations

Last, give a penny for the guy, Sigmund Freud, who invented psychoanalysis (a mitigated victory) and the principles of modern advertising (a big money-spinner: Yes, Mr. Anderson, you are really Neo.)

 

[Assorted]

If it weren't for Nikola Tesla we (as in head-fi) and the whole industry wouldn't be here.

 

[blessingx]

Newton (as mentioned everything comes after)
Freud (so influential you have to use his theories to prove his theories wrong)
Darwin (obviously some are still grappling with that one)

 

[Duggeh]

9. Elizabeth I- Led eventual superpower through dark moments, united Britain.

King James VI & I united the crowns in 1603, after Elizabeth's death. Britain itself wasnt united until Queen Anne more than 100 years after that. James VI & I is far less famous, but far more important in the history books. Not just for the crown union but for the King James Bible.