# Which individual would you bring back? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557 "2010-04-27T20:31:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/21 "2010-04-28T07:21:05Z")
Another vote for Alan Turing. ---
**Author:** ![Rala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/22 "2010-04-28T10:01:27Z")
My uncle John, at 29, the age he died in a car crash. I suppose I _could_ take this opportunity to try and better the world, but … screw that. He’s family. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/23 "2010-04-28T10:19:22Z")
I would choose the unknown person who first invented the art of lighting a fire. It would be kind of hard to communicate, but I consider him/her to be a hell of an engineer and a very interesting individual to get to know. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/24 "2010-04-28T10:51:12Z")
The thing about some of the selections, like Twain or Einstein (and arguably, Shakespeare), is that they had already composed their main body of work and their further output was of limited quality. Mozart is a possible; much of his best work was done in the eve of his life. However, the person who could likely have most contributed to the body of human knowledge had he lived longer, is Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, whose output in his five year career as a professional mathematician in the company of peers was prodigious and phenomenal. Stranger ---
**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 28, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/25 "2010-04-28T11:53:32Z")
> [@lee](#): > > Alan Turing Tell me more… ---
**Author:** ![Khendrask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Khendrask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khendrask)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/26 "2010-04-28T11:54:15Z")
> [@tonyfop](#): > > Ben Franklin, post-Revolution, hands down. Not only could we learn a lot about the Founding Fathers, and gain insight into that period, but it would be cool as shit to see his reaction to modern technology, and the country he helped create. Another vote for Franklin. For the reasons stated above, as well as to see his reaction to what the Federal Government has turned into. With any luck, he’d have enough Political, Intellectual, and Personal capital to redesign the system into something functional. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/27 "2010-04-28T12:25:48Z")
[Henry Lawson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Lawson) ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/28 "2010-04-28T12:32:21Z")
Maudlin answer: My younger sister, age 2. She never made it beyond that. Non-Maudlin answer: Robert Anson Heinlein I owe him much more than that. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/29 "2010-04-28T13:53:40Z")
Thinking of the movie Time After Time, I’d vote either for Jack the Ripper just to establish who the hell he was, or H G Wells, so he could see what the future-he-thought-would-be-a-utopia really turned into. Or Ed McBain so he could finish his last book EXIT ---
**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:** [April 28, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/30 "2010-04-28T15:15:36Z")
I’d bring back either Jesus or Mohammed . . . to resolve some issues among their followers. Of course, this might backfire. More personally, I’d bring back any one of hundreds of people I’ve known who died from AIDS. ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/31 "2010-04-28T15:41:05Z")
Douglas Adams. Once Terry Pratchett goes, I’d bring him back after a cure for Alzheimer’s is found. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/32 "2010-04-28T15:47:30Z")
George Kennan. Fellow had some _strange_ beliefs, but he was also the architect of America’s “containment” policy with regard to the Soviet Union during the Cold War. By persuasively laying out the theory behind avoiding both a shooting war and a “hotter” Cold War, he probably saved a lot of lives. Plus, he was _right_ when he predicted that the Soviet economic model was simply not sustainable, and would eventually implode. George Kennan won the Cold War, and he did it in the 1940s. I’d want to bring him back as a young man, of course, before the crazy set in. But still - Kennan FTW. ---
**Author:** ![breaking-reality](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@breaking-reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaking-reality)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/33 "2010-04-28T16:27:54Z")
> [@cdsilv](#): > > Douglas Adams. > > Once Terry Pratchett goes, I’d bring him back after a cure for Alzheimer’s is found. 😃 I’d probably do the same if Terry Pratchett passed away (or Christopher Moore). My first thought was my best friend who passed away several years back, though. Selfish, yes, but I’m ok with that. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/34 "2010-04-28T16:58:03Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > My first choice, Jesus, was already picked by someone else. It would be nice so that he could run all the various moneychangers out of the various temples again and say that fundamentalist Christianity was not what he had in mind, or, in the alternative, set me straight! This, but with Mohammed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_dread\_simoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_dread\_simoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_dread_simoom)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/35 "2010-04-28T17:13:30Z")
Patrick O’Brian. Want more! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/36 "2010-04-28T17:22:52Z")
> **[CALL UP Lyrics - ALAN PARSONS PROJECT | eLyrics.net](https://www.elyrics.net/read/a/alan-parsons-project-lyrics/call-up-lyrics.html)** > > No one ever lived a thousand years Not like things we do or say Some of those who really changed this world We would welcome back ... ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/37 "2010-04-28T18:18:34Z")
Janis Joplin. Loved her music, loved her talent, died too young. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/38 "2010-04-28T18:49:39Z")
Another vote for Jesus. I think he’d straighten a few things out, and make life better for everyone. Except that those with so much energy devoted to (IMO) mis-interpreting his teachings would probably just label the reincarnation the “anti-Christ” and go on with their sick ways. Existential tangent - can you “bring back” someone who ostensibly already died and came back, and didn’t exactly “die” again? Hmmmmnn. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/39 "2010-04-28T19:09:11Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Another vote for Jesus. I think he’d straighten a few things out, and make life better for everyone. Perhaps he can explain about the cheesemakers, and why they’re so particularly blessed. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Telcontar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Telcontar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telcontar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557/40 "2010-04-28T21:48:42Z")
> [@cdsilv](#): > > Once Terry Pratchett goes, I’d bring him back after a cure for Alzheimer’s is found. No one all that close to me has died of anything except old age, so I don’t have a personally motivated choice. My initial feeling was Jesus, though arguably he is not dead and therefore doesn’t qualify. Absent him, waiting for Terry Pratchett is the only option that tempts me off Franklin. “Terry? Wake up Terry. You’re 40 again. Yes, i know you’re confused. Here is everything you’ve written since. Read. Catch-up. Then give me more Vimes.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-individual-would-you-bring-back/537557.md?page=3)