# What 5 people would you bring back to life and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789 "2012-03-14T20:49:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/41 "2012-03-18T18:24:39Z")
My two former coworkers/friends who were killed on 9/11. My father (there are issues I need to “discuss” with him). Albert Einstein. Hitler, whose death was way too painless. Vincent Van Gogh, to get him some 21st-century medical help . . . and to show him what his paintings are selling for these days. ---
**Author:** ![Imago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/85e7bf/32.png) [@Imago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imago)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/42 "2012-03-18T22:51:42Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Vincent Van Gogh, to get him some 21st-century medical help . . . and to show him what his paintings are selling for these days. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/43 "2012-03-18T23:49:22Z")
My dads parents. I was 8 when they died and feel ripped off that I didn’t get to spend more time with two people I adored more than anything in my very small world. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/44 "2012-03-19T18:42:05Z")
One that might be interesting is Ronald Reagan. He’s someone who the current crop of crazy Republicans would absolutely positively have to listen to… but what would he actually say about what’s going on? I mean, I was never a big fan of him as a president, but he was way saner than the current Republican leadership. On the other hand, if he just hung around for 30 years endorsing the GOP nominee we’d never get a democrat elected again, so… Then I’d get John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman and Chris Farley. The world needs laughter. (By the way, the best punishment for Hitler would not be killing him painfully, fun though that might be, nor pointing out that he’s now thought of as evil (I mean, obviously he would be, and would probably revel in it), but point out how (a) so many modern military scholars blame so much of Germany’s military blunders on Hitler himself, and (b) Germany has simultaneously totally rejected all Nazi principles and become the leader and economic powerhouse of a free united Europe. In other words, not only did he lose, but history has shown him to be unambiguously WRONG WRONG WRONG.) ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/45 "2012-03-19T20:00:54Z")
My mom’s parents and Mr. Neville’s grandfather, so they could meet my baby when she is born. Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov, so they can write more stuff for me to read. ---
**Author:** ![randomface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@randomface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomface)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/46 "2012-03-19T20:17:17Z")
Bringing back Tesla and Da Vinci and putting them in a workshop together would likely yield some neat inventions over thirty years. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/47 "2012-03-19T20:32:19Z")
Albert Einstein Jim Henson Douglas Adams Steve Jobs For the obvious reasons I’m holding the last one in reserve… ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/48 "2012-03-19T21:37:58Z")
My dad and my mom. I never met my dad and knew my mom for far too short a time. I’d say my grandparents, too, none of whom I ever met, but that takes me to six already, and I can’t decide which one I’d leave out. Besides, I’m one of those needs-of-the-many-outweighs-the-needs-of-the-one types. I’m convinced no scientist or inventor we’ve ever had is better than the people that are on the bleeding edge today. I don’t think Alan Turing, or Albert Einstein, or Neils Bohr, or Werner von Braun would take us to another new plateau in their respective fields, for instance. So I’d probably do Abraham Lincoln, because he _might_ be able to unify the divisiveness we have today. George Washington and Ben Franklin deserve to see how great this country has become, so I choose them. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/49 "2012-03-19T21:47:45Z")
Either FDR or LBJ, I think one of them would have the commitment, credibility and persuasiveness to change America. Aside from that - Norman Borlaug (single handedly averted several famines with his research). Maurice Hilleman - invented over 30 vaccines in his life. Died while working on a vaccines for malaria and HIV. He invented vaccines for measles, chickenpox, meningitis, hepatitis, and lots of others. Combined with Borlaug, the two probably saved well over a billion lives. That is all I can think of right now. I’m sure there are some amazing scientists, social workers, politicians and artists but I don’t know which I’d pick that really seemed far above and beyond their compatriots the way Hilleman, Borlaug and FDR were. Off topic, but the world would be better with another 100 or so Jimmy Carters running around. His post presidency has been pretty impressive and productive. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/50 "2012-03-19T21:53:12Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > One that might be interesting is Ronald Reagan. He’s someone who the current crop of crazy Republicans would absolutely positively have to listen to… but what would he actually say about what’s going on? I mean, I was never a big fan of him as a president, but he was way saner than the current Republican leadership. On the other hand, if he just hung around for 30 years endorsing the GOP nominee we’d never get a democrat elected again, so… That’s why you also bring back someone like FDR or JFK, have an ultimate president showdown or something. Or hell, just bring back Lincoln and repeal the law on presidential term limits. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/51 "2012-03-19T22:16:23Z")
People who made our culture a better one, which in my estimation would be… Jim Henson Steve Jobs Fred Rogers Which leaves me two. My husband and I have three dead uncles between us, so I’d vote for the two who died youngest. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/52 "2012-03-20T03:41:06Z")
My Dad Jerry Garcia lowell george Thomas Jefferson John Belushi ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/53 "2012-03-20T19:52:44Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > John Lennon. > > I’m convinced The Beatles would have got back together at some point. You’d need to bring George back for this, as well… ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789/54 "2012-03-21T17:03:44Z")
I noticed a lot of people have mentioned Jim Henson. Why? Sesame Street is still going on, has it noticeably decreased in quality since his death? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-5-people-would-you-bring-back-to-life-and-why/615789.md?page=2)