# Who is the greatest human being ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 20, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755 "2002-11-20T16:52:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/1 "2002-11-20T16:52:39Z")
Much to my surprise, a cursory search shows that this question has never been posed to the SDMB. So let’s have at it. Who is/was the greatest human being to have ever lived? Your answer should also include an explanation as to why you think so. What contributions to humanity has he/she made? How does this person qualify for greatness? _In order to keep this from turning into a religious debate, I’d like to suggest the ground rule that Jesus Christ is not a viable candidate. Also, to keep the brown-nosing to a minimum, Cecil must also be disqualified._ Allow me to begin: As an American, I’m probably a bit biased, but my candidate for greatest human being ever is **Benjamin Franklin**. Why? 1. He was THE key figure in the American Revolution and in forming our new government. 2. His work in the discovery and application of electricity has proved instrumental to both technology and civilization. Electricity was a parlor trick before Franklin got into it. Franklin even coined the terms Positive, Negative, Charge, Conductor, and Battery. 3. Although it wouldn’t surprise me if one did exist before, as far as the Western world is concerned, Franklin started the first Fire Department. 4. He also started the first Fire insurance company. 5. He invented bifocals, the odometer, the catheter, the Franklin stove, and probably his most important contribution, the lightning rod. Furthermore, when he invented the lightning rod, rather than manufacture and sell them, he published how-to instructions for making them so that the benefits for his invention could be widespread. 6. He promoted the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. 7. In his many publications, particularly Poor Richards Alamanack, Franklin consistently strove to enlighten the common man. His use of easy-to-remember snippets of wisdom are still used today, such as “early to bed…”, “An apple a day…”, “A penny saved…”, etc. In general, Franklin’s contributions to humanity were sparks that set fire to other great accomplishments later on. His enlightened views on religion, society, invention, health, science, nutrition, mass media, government, and humanity were ahead of his time. The results of his thoughts and deeds, the lives saved, the inventions spawned, and ideas conceived, are incalculable. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/2 "2002-11-20T17:24:56Z")
Well, I could tell you but…modesty forbids. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/3 "2002-11-20T17:37:06Z")
Well then, hell, I vote for **Lemur866**! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/4 "2002-11-20T17:41:12Z")
The Greatest Human Being Ever is… ME!!! 😃 No wait-it’s Cecil Adams. Nope. No, no, it’s me, it’s me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/5 "2002-11-20T17:49:33Z")
If you’re DQ Jesus (a legit move IMO) why allow Buddha or Muhammed? ---
**Author:** ![Pantone\_Swatchbook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@Pantone\_Swatchbook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantone_Swatchbook)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/6 "2002-11-20T18:02:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erictelevision \* > \*\*If you’re DQ Jesus (a legit move IMO) why allow Buddha or Muhammed? \*\* Because Muhammed and Siddharta actually existed, whereas Jesus is a fictional character with no legitimate factual evidence whatsoever. I would like to vote for John Locke and Immanuel Kant. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/7 "2002-11-20T18:14:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pantone Swatchbook \* > \*\*Because Muhammed and Siddharta actually existed, whereas Jesus is a fictional character with no legitimate factual evidence whatsoever. > \*\* Boy, talk about a wild leap. . . . or maybe you’re just rolling? As for the OP, I think this question is so completely subjective that it’s meaningless. It’s like saying “Is blue the best color for the sky?” How do you define greatness? Is a person great if half the planet worships him like God (like Jesus) and the other half is indifferent (like most of Asia)? Does fame alone make a person great? In that case, Adolf Hitler would be almost as great as anyone else you could mention. It’s a pointless debate. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/8 "2002-11-20T18:15:57Z")
Excuse me, that should’ve been “trolling” above. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/9 "2002-11-20T18:20:56Z")
Actually, Jesus as a man most likely DID exist. Whether or not he is the Son of God and all is what is up to debate. ---
**Author:** ![Pantone\_Swatchbook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@Pantone\_Swatchbook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantone_Swatchbook)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/10 "2002-11-20T18:32:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*Actually, Jesus as a man most likely DID exist. > > Whether or not he is the Son of God and all is what is up to debate. \*\* I myself have looked for evidence of his existence for over five years and have come up with nothing. The more I dig, the more obvious it is that Jesus is a Frankenstein monster of sorts, built together with bits and pieces of older (and a few contemporary) myths. The true significant person in Christianity is Saul/Paul. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/11 "2002-11-20T18:33:29Z")
Well, if we must skip over Jesus (who, even non-Christians must admit was a mighty important character in world history!), fine. I’ll stay secular. The two men who did the most to change the world for the better are, in my opinion: 1. Sir Isaac Newton (nobody else has done so much to advance human understanding of the universe and how it works). 2. George Washington. Without George Washington, there’s no United States (he was more responsible for American independence than anyone else, and held the new nation together through the force of his personality), and without the United States, the history of the world is radically altered (MOSTLY for the worse). ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/12 "2002-11-20T18:34:38Z")
I knew this was going to come up. How about if we define “greatness” as ones positive impact on humanity? ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/13 "2002-11-20T18:45:56Z")
Oh, and I didn’t include Mohammed or Buddha because neither are considered the son of God. Jesus’ resurrection, ascent into heaven and other biblical events would suggest super-human status. I dunno, I guess if one could argue the case as if Jesus was just a man, then perhaps he could be included, but I have serious doubts that this can be done by someone who believes in the aforementioned miracles. I mean no offense to Christians on this board, I’m just trying to minimize the possiblity of yet another religious thread cropping up. There are enough already. So for that sake alone, Jesus is disqualified. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/14 "2002-11-20T18:48:49Z")
Actually I had started this same thread in IMHO (where this one belongs as well). The question, IMO, is too broad for a real debate; it’s really a matter of opinion. My choice was the Buddha though that might be disallowed in this thread. Why Buddha? I think that he was more rational and humane than the other great religious leaders and showed a path to happiness that is valuable even to those (like me) who don’t practice Buddhism as a religion. So even if you ignore the more supernatural/religious aspects of Buddhism, Buddha remains important as an incredibly acute analyst of human pshychology and an inspiring teacher whose teachings have endured for thousands of years. If you want to strictly ignore all religious leaders maybe my vote would go to Newton. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/15 "2002-11-20T18:55:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astorian \* > \*\*2) George Washington. Without George Washington, there’s no United States (he was more responsible for American independence than anyone else, and held the new nation together through the force of his personality), and without the United States, the history of the world is radically altered (MOSTLY for the worse). \*\* cite? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/16 "2002-11-20T19:01:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pantone Swatchbook \* > **I myself have looked for evidence of his existence for over five years and have come up with nothing. The more I dig, the more obvious it is that Jesus is a Frankenstein monster of sorts, built together with bits and pieces of older (and a few contemporary) myths.** You must have thought this was IMHO, where you can throw out as much hyperbole, conjecture, and malinformed opinion without citation as you like. This isn’t. That you have failed in five years — if that is in fact true — to find any evidence whatsoever says nothing about the evidence, but volumes about your capabilities to do research. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/17 "2002-11-20T19:02:11Z")
Socrates. If a man’s reputation lives for 2,400 years, having never written a book nor great accomplishment, that’s pure greatest! ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/18 "2002-11-20T19:04:02Z")
And by the way, for the poll, I vote for Jesus Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/19 "2002-11-20T19:14:54Z")
Plato, the Father of Philosophy, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755/20 "2002-11-20T19:25:12Z")
Eh, I’d go with Aristotle. I think his impact on existence is largest. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-human-being-ever/137755.md?page=2)