# The 100 Most Influential People - Try the Third **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 14, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080 "2010-04-14T16:58:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/341 "2010-05-16T17:38:30Z")
Invention. Gugilemo Marconi Leader. William the Conqueror Philosophy. Francis Bacon Religion. Buddha Science. Michael Faraday ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/342 "2010-05-16T18:09:12Z")
Inventions. Antony van Leeuwenhoek Leader. Napoleon Bonaparte Philosophy. Plato Religion. Martin Luther Science. Johannes Kepler ---
**Author:** ![XanderCrews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ee59a6/32.png) [@XanderCrews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XanderCrews)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/343 "2010-05-16T18:31:16Z")
Invention. Gugilemo Marconi Leaders. Mao Zedong Philosophy. Shakespeare Religion. Buddha Science. Ernest Rutherford ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/344 "2010-05-16T19:01:10Z")
Invention. Marconi Leader. Alexander the Great Philosophy. Jefferson Religion. Martin Luther Science. Rutherford New on the block are Rutherford, another 20th century physicist, and Martin Luther, probably the easiest vote on the list for me, considering his competition. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/345 "2010-05-16T22:07:12Z")
Inventions. Joseph Lister Leader. George Washington Philosophy. John Locke Religion. Moses Science. John Dalton The fact that Columbus outranks Galileo on the original scale is a cause for worry regarding the tiebreaker in rounds ahead. But, that’s the game. Two changes this round, Lister as “discover new lifeform, discover way to kill it” had been human raison d’etre. Dalton re-appears. I reckon he be chuffed at a Top 10 finish. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/346 "2010-05-16T22:38:27Z")
Why all the love for Kepler here? I have voted for him for several rounds, with little support. His position on Hart’s list is solidly amongst the masses who have been voted out so far. In a moment of insanity, people voted out Maxwell (24) several rounds ago and are now voting for Rutherford and, amazingly, Faraday. Just stop it! ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Uncle\_Goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Goat)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/347 "2010-05-16T22:39:01Z")
Invention. Antony van Leeuwenhoek Leader. Alexander the Great Philosophy. Confucius Religion. Moses Science. John Dalton Three new faces, finally seeing the last of Cyrus. Sheesh. Going for Alexander the Great. Big stuff indeed, but world conquerors fade with time and he was a long time ago. If he had lived longer and not destroyed his army, I’d pick someone else. for religion, Moses. Size matters and the Jews are in the minority. And John Dalton loses out in science, though these guys have been coin tosses for some time now. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/348 "2010-05-16T22:40:51Z")
Inventor. Joseph Lister Leader. William the Conqueror Philosophy. John Locke Religion. Martin Luther Science. Ernest Rutherford Lister and Rutherford are the holdovers. Hard to believe I’m voting off William the Conqueror, but we’re truly down to the elite now. As for Luther, he’s the most recent, so for that admittedly arbitrary reason it’s time for the eliminated luminaries to open the door [and let him in](http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/letemin.htm). ---
**Author:** ![sohvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sohvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sohvan)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/349 "2010-05-16T23:00:51Z")
Inventors. Guglielmo Marconi Leaders. Alexander the Great Philosophy. Thomas Jefferson Religion. Moses Science. Johannes Kepler ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/350 "2010-05-17T02:18:56Z")
Inventor. Gugilemo Marconi Leader. William the Conquerer Philosophy. Plato Religion. Martin Luther Science. Johannes Kepler The Inventor category has now entered the "How can I pick any of these people? point for me. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/351 "2010-05-17T09:45:41Z")
Invention. Joseph Lister Leader. Josef Stalin Philosophy. Thomas Jefferson Religion. Martin Luther Science. John Dalton ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/352 "2010-05-17T11:29:33Z")
Inventors. Guglielmo Marconi Leaders. Napoleon Bonaparte Philosophy. Francis Bacon Religion. Moses Science. Ernest Rutherford ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/353 "2010-05-17T12:51:33Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Why all the love for Kepler here? I have voted for him for several rounds, with little support. His position on Hart’s list is solidly amongst the masses who have been voted out so far. > > In a moment of insanity, people voted out Maxwell (24) several rounds ago and are now voting for Rutherford and, amazingly, Faraday. > > Just stop it! If this is really painful to you, stop paying attention. This is supposed to be FUN! And as I’ve noted earlier, we long ago reached the point where EVERYONE we vote off the island is either a genius or a figure of great talent and relevance. NOBODY really thinks the Wright Brothers were unimportant- just that, most likely, SOMEBODY ELSE would eventually have accomplished what they did before long. With a few exceptions, nobody here is insulting any of the nominees. Faraday and Rutherford were brilliant men. Nobody is arguing otherwise. But SOMEBODY has to go, under the rules of this game. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/354 "2010-05-17T13:13:36Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > If this is really painful to you, stop paying attention. This is supposed to be FUN! I think you misinterpreted the tone of my post. I was having fun, while at the same time trying to drum up votes for the ouster of Kepler. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Uncle\_Goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Goat)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/355 "2010-05-17T13:15:18Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > If this is really painful to you, stop paying attention. This is supposed to be FUN! Good heavens. Complaining about other people’s foolish, stupid, picks is all part of the fun! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/356 "2010-05-17T13:52:58Z")
On Kepler - he’s the one who actually made a heliocentric model WORK, in a way that we still use with only slight modifications 400 years later. I’m personally biased in the direction of people who perfected theories (such as Kepler and Maxwell) over people who advanced the original rough idea (such as Copernicus) ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/357 "2010-05-17T14:15:52Z")
> [@Uncle\_Goat](#): > > for religion, Moses. Size matters and the Jews are in the minority. But Moses, the books attributed to him, and the Mosaic Law are all major influences on Christianity and Islam as well as Judaism. Now you’re talking big numbers. My votes coming up. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/358 "2010-05-17T14:25:27Z")
Invention. James Watt Leader. Josef Stalin Philosophy. John Locke Religion. Martin Luther Science. Ernest Rutherford Invention/Science: This is almost the throwing-at-the-dartboard method. Great men, but its the stage where Great Men have to start going. Stalin: Biggest achievement was saving the Soviet Union in WWII and then running it into the ground; and laying the seeds for the Cold War. Greatly influential during the 20th century, but his influence is fading as time passes and the USSR becomes a more distant memory. Locke: I toyed with Jefferson, but he is spared by his impact on politics and government (not to mention the Declaration of Independence and the Louisiana Purchase thing). Can’t do Shakespeare yet – high schoolers are not assigned to memorize long passages of Locke, after all. Luther: This list is dwindling; I can’t vote out the founder of any major religion over even its most influential reformer. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/359 "2010-05-17T16:06:20Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > On Kepler - he’s the one who actually made a heliocentric model WORK, in a way that we still use with only slight modifications 400 years later… The discovery of Kepler’s laws was one of the supreme achievements of pre-Newtonian science. Their discovery required thorough observations, untiring perspicacity, and great mathematical skill (Kepler was one of the most original mathematicians of his era and preceded the famous Frenchmen and Italian in the development of early calculus). An argument against Kepler might be that planetary motion is largely irrelevant to most technology; however the _purity_ of this problem inspired Newton’s work. How about this for a compromise? – we agree to eliminate Kepler now if Galileo can be resurrected. Galileo definitely belongs among the Top Five scientists. Note that Leeuwenhoek is still on the list, but Galileo was making interesting discoveries with microscope before Leeuwenhoek. > [@](#): > > I vote off Galileo because his contributions seem less groundbreaking than those of the others on the list. Yes, with so little to show for his career, one wonders why Galileo is remembered at all: Law of Inertia, Law of Falling Bodies, Law of the Pendulum; invention of superior telescope and microscope. Astronomical discoveries including Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, phases of Venus, Moon’s craters, nature of the Milky Way. (And although Galileo was not a particularly great mathematician. it is interesting to note that he seems to have been first to articulate the _Hilbert’s Hotel Paradox_.) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/360 "2010-05-17T16:19:07Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > How about this for a compromise? – we agree to eliminate Kepler now if Galileo can be resurrected. Galileo definitely belongs among the Top Five scientists. Note that Leeuwenhoek is still on the list, but Galileo was making interesting discoveries with microscope before Leeuwenhoek. I don’t see Galileo ahead of Kepler, and definitely not Top 5 (mine is Newton at 1 with Darwin, Einstein, Euclid, and Pasteur rounding out the top 5 in no particular order). Maxwell rounded out my top 6, and other than that I’ll admit I’m not terribly particular about the order the others are eliminated in. I’m definitely biased in the direction of systematizers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080.md?page=19)