# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/121 "2010-04-22T23:09:50Z")
Round 4 has begun… Looks like a five-peat for me: Inventors. Hernando Cortes Leaders. Queen Isabella I Philosophy. Nicoli Machiavelli Religion. Zoroaster Science. Antonine Laurent Lavoisier ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/122 "2010-04-22T23:11:17Z")
Invention. Hernando Cortes Leader. Genghis Khan Philosophy. Jean-Jacques Rosseau Religion. Zoraster Science. Antonine Laurent Lavoisier One of these does not look like it belongs. Many people will probably object to Genghis Khan as being my least influential of the bunch. I decided to vote Khan off because of 2 things: One is that I’m being a bit ego-centric. All of the other people currently on the list is influencing us right now. Rome, Persia, British, American influences are still alive and well with us today, influencing the lives of billions of people. Khan was a long time ago. The second thing is, how fares the Mongol Empire today? History may eventually scoff at the dictators of the 20th century like Stalin, Lenin, or Mao, but there’s no denying that Russian or Chinese influence will be with us for a long time. Yes, Khan practically conquered the world, had more territories than anyone before or after him, but his entire empire has been decimated. Mongolia is a small, poor country sandwiched between two giant countries they once ruled. There is little influence that Mongolia exerts on people in the modern day, especially compared to Russia or China. Genghis Khan was great in his day, probably the greatest conqueror in history, but his influence is merely a footnote and his empire crumbled soon after he and his offspring ceased their conquering ways. ---
**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:** [April 22, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/123 "2010-04-22T23:17:35Z")
Inventor. Christopher Columbus Leader. Peter the Great Philosophy. Voltaire Religion. Justinian Science. Roentgen Two winners last round. Returning to 20th century physicists in science. Columbus found his discovery by accident and would have died if he hadn’t. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/124 "2010-04-22T23:20:56Z")
I got 4 out of 5 last round, and I voted first so it wasn’t coat-tail riding. Inventor. Cortes Leader. Queen Isabella I Philosophy. Homer Religion. Pope Urban II Science. Johannes 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:** [April 22, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/125 "2010-04-22T23:32:29Z")
Invention. Christopher Columbus Leader. Shi Huang Di Philosophy. Rene Descartes Religion. Zoroaster Science. Leonhard Euler Little by little, bit by bit ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/126 "2010-04-23T01:44:47Z")
Inventor. Hernando Cortes Leader. Shi Huang Di Philosophy. Rene Descartes Religion. Justinian I Science. James Clerk Maxwell Cortes (replacing the voted-off Pizarro) and Justinian (bye-bye, Lord Protector Cromwell!) are the “rookies” on my list. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/127 "2010-04-23T02:20:54Z")
0 for 5 in the last round so I’ll just go again. Inventions. Orville and Wilbur Wright Leader. Isabella Philosophy and Arts. Rene Descrates Religion. Zoraster Science. Werner Heisenberg Amazed to see Mendel gone so early. Genetics is such an incredibly important discovery, both in theoretical and practical terms. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/128 "2010-04-23T02:51:28Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Amazed to see Mendel gone so early. Genetics is such an incredibly important discovery, both in theoretical and practical terms. I think voters against Mendel acknowledge the importance of genetics, but wonder about _his_ influence. It’s a sad little story of science that his discovery was completely ignored for 34 years! Finally his name was brought to public attention by scientists who had made the _same_ discovery, did a literature search, and were honest enough to mention the forgotten Austrian monk. Darwin was alive then but never read Mendel’s paper, had only a vague incorrect genetic model, and consequently had no answer for certain mathematical objections to his theory. This (ignorance of Mendel’s work) is one source for the creationist screed “Even Darwin had his doubts.” Roentgen is another example of a scientist scored very high by Hart who may not belong. His discovery of X-rays is an exciting story, but without him wouldn’t the discovery have happened anyway, a few months later? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/129 "2010-04-23T03:41:31Z")
Invention.Alexander Graham Bell Leader.Mikhail Gorbachev Arts.Ludwig von Beethoven Religion.Asoka Science.Galileo Galilei Okay, I have to repeat all my previous 5 votes ---
**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:** [April 23, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/130 "2010-04-23T04:32:53Z")
Inventions. Christopher Columbus Leader. Charlemagne Philosophy. Ludwig von Beethoven Religion. Umar ibn al–Khattab Science. James Clerk Marxwell Columbus - watch out, I’m not the only one who’s got your number Charlemange - a fanatic redoubles his efforts when he’s forgotten his aim. Ludwig, if Johann Sebastian’s gone you’ve gotta go too Umar suffers because as an agnostic, religion ain’t my long suite. Markwell - just don’t quite see him up with the remaining giants ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/131 "2010-04-23T06:02:04Z")
Invention. Christopher Columbus Leader. Alexander the Great Philosophy. Ludwig von Beethoven Religion. Umar ibn al-Khattab Science. Galileo Galilei ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/132 "2010-04-23T07:20:57Z")
Round 4: Inventors. Christopher Columbus Leaders. Charlemagne Philosophy. Ludwig von Beethoven Religion. Justinian I Science. Galileo Galilei ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/133 "2010-04-23T07:42:12Z")
Inventor. Orville and Wilbur Wright Leader. Shi Huang Di Philosophy. Lao Tzu Religion. Zoraster Science. William Conrad Roentgen ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/134 "2010-04-23T08:37:56Z")
Inventions. Christopher Columbus Leader. Shi Huang Di Philosophy and Arts. Rene Descrates Religion. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab Science. Antonine Laurent Lavoisier ---
**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:** [April 23, 2010, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/135 "2010-04-23T09:19:50Z")
Four out of five making a return: Inventors. Christopher Columbus Leaders. Mikhail Gorbachev Philosophy. Voltaire Religion. Zoraster Science. William Conrad Roentgen And fie on you all for picking on Ludwig. He set the course of Western music and scared the bejeezus out of the composers that followed him for the next hundred or so years. European culture would have been very different without him. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/136 "2010-04-23T12:50:29Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > And fie on you all for picking on Ludwig. He set the course of Western music and scared the bejeezus out of the composers that followed him for the next hundred or so years. European culture would have been very different without him. Agreed, but chances are that Beethoven, like Bach, wouldn’t have made it all the way. Just a shame to see such lights put out early. After this round, if it goes the way it appears to be going, my picks get a lot tougher… ---
**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:** [April 23, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/137 "2010-04-23T13:52:21Z")
Ok, I think I only have to come up with two new ones. Inventors. Orville and Wilbur Wright Leaders. Shi Huang Di Philosophy. Jean-Jacques Rosseau Religion. Pope Urban II Science. Werner Heisenberg Explaining my new votes: Rosseau - not _un_influential, but less so that others on the list. I’m kind of half-hearted about this category, though, to be honest. Urban - the Crusades were formational for medieval Christianity, but Urban was not (by a long shot) the only Pope to call for Crusades in the Holy Land. And my repeats: Wright brothers: probably weren’t even the first ones to invent the airplane. Shi Huang Di: China had to be _re_-united later, so his unification didn’t hold. Heisenberg: Quantum physics is too new a field to be considered that influential when looking at the whole of human history. ---
**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:** [April 23, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/138 "2010-04-23T13:54:16Z")
I’m surprised to see Clerk Maxwell getting so many votes; to my mind, he’s pretty clearly ahead of all the other physicists except Newton and Einstein. Let me go to the scots-language Wikipedia for [a character witness](http://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clerk_Maxwell): > [@](#): > > Maxwell is aften thocht o as the scientist o the 1800s that haed the maist influence on the pheesics o the 1900s, makkin contreibutions ti the basic models o naitur. In 1931, on the centennial anniversar o Maxwell’s birth, Einstein descrieved Maxwell’s wark as the “most profound and the most fruitful that physics has experienced since the time of Newton.” ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/139 "2010-04-23T14:03:15Z")
Heh, yeah. He was the Einstein of the nineteenth century! His unified theory of electromagnetism has been described as the second great unification of physics. From Wiki: > [@](#): > > Maxwell is considered by many physicists to be the 19th-century scientist with the greatest influence on 20th-century physics. His contributions to the science are considered by many to be of the same magnitude as those of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080/140 "2010-04-23T14:13:56Z")
Inventors. Alexander Graham Bell Leaders. Queen Isabella I Philosophy. Jean-Jacques Rosseau Religion. Zoraster Science. James Clerk Marxwell Tom, I’m not denigrating Maxwell one bit here, but whom of the company remaining would you have eliminated in his place? And I am really quite astonished to see so many voting against Descartes. And misspelling his name in the process. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-100-most-influential-people-try-the-third/536080.md?page=8)