Who is (or was) the Worlds Greatest Human?

[Dunderman]

*Originally posted by DrNick *
**Marx is up there too, I’d say. He hasn’t been around so long, but he’s influenced a staggering proportion of the world ever since. **

While I’m not nearly as opposed to Marx’s thinking as most people around here, I’d have to say that right now Marx cannot qualify as a person who’s benefitted mankind, which is what the original poster asked for. Marxism may yet benefit mankind greatly, but so far it has failed to do so, and in fact caused much death, strife and suffering.

But if we’re talking pure influence, then yep, Marx is up there.

A teacher of mine used to claim that Plato was the most influential thinker ever, no contest, no competitor even close. He failed to elaborate, though.

[Abe]

*Originally posted by ThoughtPolice *
You believe Jesus was a myth. I believe Jesus was real. It seems we share one thing - we both believe something. **

Well, strictly speaking I don’t believe in his non-existence.

As for your case, I didn’t say you grew up as a Christian or that you held any particular belief. I said you grew up with the concept (in itself an estimate, but I think a fairly safe one). In other words, a Christian environment.
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[OliverH]

*Originally posted by Abe *
**Well, since you are repeating yourself needlessly, I have to point this out: we’re looking for the world’s greatest real and factual human here, not a character in a mythology. **

Um, as much as we know, Jesus IS a real and factual human. The only issue of debate is whether he is the Messiah. But AFAIK there is some historical evidence suggesting that he very much existed -after all, someone has founded what was originally a sect.

**
Maybe. Nevertheless, you could say exactly the same things you said above of any important figure from any religion. The reason you say Jesus is because you happened to grow up with that concept and believe (note that word) in it. **

Nevertheless, it COULD very much be argued independently of whether one is Christian or not. Christianity IS the most populous religion, and Jesus had in addition quite some impact on Islam, which, while not considering him Messiah or Son of God, still gives a prominent role to him. As such, Jesus has most definitely influenced the life of probably more people on the planet than anyone else, if maybe in a less than tangible fashion.

[ThoughtPolice]

We all have a belief system. It is wise not to make assumptions about people you do not know.

[MrO]

*Originally posted by jovan *
**Re: Guttenberg.

I know, it’s a nitpick, but it really annoys me; Gutenberg did not invent the printing press. He used a wine press for his purposes, and printing presses had been used in China, Korea and Japan for hundreds of years.**

Koreans are fond of pointing out that printing existed in Korea a zillion years before Gutenberg, during their “hermit kingdom” period. But they kept it to themselves! In the competition for “greatest in the world,” what you do in private really doesn’t count.

**

I’m much more impressed by people who have changed the way we think about ourselves and the world. For that reason I will nominate:

Siddharta Gautama
Aristotle
Jesus/St-Paul **

Great Googly-moogly! I’d be okay with the Gautama and Jesus nominations, and Aristotle is not so bad–though I wouldn’t necessarily vote for any of them. I would nominate Paul as among those who have done the most damage to the world, but maybe that’s just me.

[RandySpears]

While I’m not nearly as opposed to Marx’s thinking as most people around here, I’d have to say that right now Marx cannot qualify as a person who’s benefitted mankind, which is what the original poster asked for. Marxism may yet benefit mankind greatly, but so far it has failed to do so, and in fact caused much death, strife and suffering.

But if we’re talking pure influence, then yep, Marx is up there.

This argument also holds for Jesus and Muhammed…

[Abe]

*Originally posted by OliverH *
Um, as much as we know, Jesus IS a real and factual human. The only issue of debate is whether he is the Messiah. But AFAIK there is some historical evidence suggesting that he very much existed

Not really. I’ve been involved in at least two discussions on the subject on the SDMB:

Is this reasonable evidence that Jesus lived? containing analysis of the famous ossuary find

Proof of Jesus? containing a detailed look at a fair bit of the evidence available.

There are doubtless more, since it is a topic of some sensitivity.

[lekatt]

*Originally posted by McDuff *
**There was once a little girl whose parents had died. She lived on the streets, looking after her younger brother. She became a prostitute, and gave birth at the age of fourteen. She died when she was sixteen. I do not know her name.

She’s as good a candidate as any. **

True, there are many heros and herones unknown to history.
Those who gave their lives that others might live in freedom, are some of those.