Bourlag was the first guy I thought of, too, and I think he might even be in the running for most universally agreed upon living person. A couple of years ago we had a thread on who the most honored living scientist was and he got my vote: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Presidential Medal of Freedom holder, thirty five plus honorary degrees, National Academy of Science Public Welfare Medal (their highest honor), National Science Foundation’s Vannevar Bush Award (their highest honor), many streets, prizes, institutes, etc. named for him in his lifetime, and even a symphony composed in his honor.
Whoops - scratch the “living” part. just checked and he passed away in 2009, at the ripe old age of 95.
Too many great men and women throughout history to enumerate and all of them stood on the shoulders of giants that came before them.
Me, I admire those most skilled at cutting through the bullshit and putting things in perspective. I cast my vote for Christopher Hitchens.
If his or her existence is proved, Leonardo da Vinci. If not, either Jesus or Mohammed.
Huh, I wasn’t aware that Leonardo da Vinci’s existence was in question. I know that Shakespeare’s is.
It’s clearly Teddy Roosevelt.
Incredible bad-ass, amazing president, built the Panama canal, Nobel peace prize winner, responsible for Yellowstone and Yosemite parks, world-class historian and the first guy to traverse one of the most remote rivers in the Amazon (now named after him).
Oh yeah, and the dude got shot before a speech, refused to go to the hospital, went and gave the speech (which included ripping open his jacket to show off the huge blood stain on his shirt) and then, only after the speech, went to the hospital.
I came in here to say Mr. Rogers!
Even though other people have made a bigger impact on society, I don’t think anyone who knew Mr. Rogers truly hated him. He was an incredibly kind-hearted and inspiring person. I appreciate him a lot more as an adult, since I’ve learned more about what he was like, than I did back when I was a kid.
Homer Simpson.
How can you not agree with “Cover for me, it was like that when I got here, great idea boss?” 
For a non-fictional person, George Carlin. “Be very afraid of large groups of stupid people.” He was NOT a comedian, he was a philosopher.
Among the person-who-discovered/invented-________, my nominee is toilet paper.
I think Jesus Christ would definitely be in the running since a bit less than a third of the world is Christian, and Christians probably think he’s pretty great. The majority of the rest of the world is probably aware of him, but they probably think “meh” of him so maybe not the “most universally agreed incredible person”.
So I’m thinking it would have to be someone really well known, well regarded and without much controversy…
Michael Jordan maybe? He’s well known throughout the world, and everyone likes Mike.
I don’t think he has made the greatest contribution to mankind a single person can or anything remotely close to that but I think he’s “universal” in terms of the sheer number of people aware of him and “agreed” in that most people agree that he’s pretty amazing.
Sorry for doublepost but realized the OP itself and not just the title had something different in mind than what I responded.
Didn’t know about him until this thread but Norman Borlaug mentioned above seems like a good candidate.
Thomas Edison also seems to have played a big role in ushering in the modern age.
I think Borlaug gets my vote. Either him or Kerstie Alley.
Get ready for the Norman Borlaug statue, in the works for display in the US Capitol in 2014.
Visit the Norman Borlaug monument in Mexico. The monument does feature a statue of Dr Borlaug.
And welcome to the new Norman Borlaug Elementary School. Still have to work on getting a high school named for him.
I am impressed with the Dopers’ recognition of Dr Borlaug. His name was the first that came to mind when I saw this thread and I see many others already thought of him. He is indeed worthy of remembrance with statues, monuments , and schools.
Of the more high profile scientists… it need to be a person that not only made a discovery that happened to benefit everyone, but he has to have had a charming public personality as well. I think Borlaugh fits that bill best.
Otherwise, Pasteur (for vaccinations) or Semmelweiss (who taught obsteticians to wash their hands, thereby cutting child mortality by 90 %) would fit.
Henri Dunant, founder of the Red Cross?
Mother Theresa?
Bono?
Cai Lun, aka Ts’ai Lun, the inventor of paper.
I don’t think so, because 99% of the world’s population have no idea who invented paper. By the same measure, the unnamed Neanderthal or proto-human who discovered fire would be a contender.
True, dat. Forgot one of the criteria is “universally agreed-upon”.
But then, Borlaug doesn’t belong either… 
Forget Jesus or Mohammmed. if you want the closest thing to universal agreement, go with Abraham and you can throw in the Jews as well as the Christians and Muslems.
Monica Bellucci