If you could have 5 historic figures (dead 40+ years) at your home for a party, who would they be and why?

Question

They would be in your house for an evening, together. Keep that in mind as you assemble the guest list. So having, for example Gengis Khan and Attilla The Hun together in one room might be a bad idea. The daynamic is important, choose wisely, it is your house. The dynamic might not be so great with Mahatma Ghandi and Muossilini. Ditto John Wilkes Booth and Abe Lincoln. Consider that. Also consider that history is written by the winners. People protrayed as villains might not be, and people protrayed as heros may be total scoundrels. Be prepared for the outcome. I look forward to your interesting asnswers.

Hello All,
I am extremely impressed with these answers. They are so much better than the misspelled crap that you often see on the Q&A. These are all great answers, and I am going to have a rough time choosing the best. Dr. Why made a ver interesting point regarding the translation. So we are going to add a rule. Assume they all speak a common language you can understand (Can be English or whatever you like. Also assume they are aware of the circimstances surrounding their death, For example, Abe Lincoln knows that John Wilkes Booth killed him, Jesus knows that Judas betrayed him etc.....

Answer 1

I hope we get to invite translators too, or it's not going to be much of a party!

As you mention, the important thing is this is going to be a party. I would hate to re-animate a bunch of people from the dead just to bore them to tears. So I'd like to start by pointing out that there's lots of dead people I'd love to meet but who aren't invited to a party - such a meeting would better be more personal affairs (and some of these guys are a little crazy or would be wallflowers). These include Nikola Tesla, Aristotle, Hector of Troy, Jesus, Ghandi, and many others.

People I would invite:

- Julius Henry Marx (a.k.a. 'Groucho') could be a lot of fun at a party. He was quick-witted, artistic, and intelligent. In that, he'd not only be a character but also one who could blend in well with the others.
- Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. 'Mark Twain') is pretty much of the same stripe but from a different era. I appreciate his more wry humour, and he was popular at parties when he was alive. In that sense I think he could help keep things together.
- Benjamin Franklin was a diplomat and quite a free thinker. He didn't seem to take himself too seriously and would probably be happy to come to the party if it had lots of pretty women. ( :
- Socrates (if he really existed) could likewise be the kind of person who would blend in well with such a diverse group, as well as bringing in views from an entirely different age.
- Leonardo Da Vinci would do well with my nerdier guests and is artistically inclined enough to jam with some of the other writers, singers, and the like. He is also a famous free-thinker... again probably something important to be able to adapt to the circumstances of the party.

In addition, I'd also have to invite a bunch of attractive women (and boys for Socrates and Da Vinci!), as well as the translators. Catering could be tricky, because of the diversity of preferences and cultures involved (Da Vinci was a vegan for a while, I'm sure Franklin would like French food, and elements of a Greek party would be great!).

Actually, it sounds like a lot of fun to me. I'm getting a little disappointed that it's not going to happen! ) :

Answer 2

The five:

1. Jesus of Nazereth
2. Mahatma Ghandi
3. Siddartha Gautama ("The Enlightened One" or "The Buddha")
4. The Prophet Mohammed
5. Aristotle

The reason I would invite these five is because I've studied philosophy and theology (of multiple religions) my whole life.

The first question I would pose to each of the religious figures is how much of their teachings were screwed up after their death.

For example, "The Buddha" never spoke on the metaphysical nature of the world, but assumptions about metaphysics were applied to him in later Buddhist writings.

For example, I would ask Jesus if church on particular weekend mornings at a thousand different denominations with careful attention to liturgical points (such as the order of worship or careful phrasing of confessionary creeds) had anything to do with what he was trying to teach (I suspect not).

With Mohammed and Jesus together, I would ask these:
To Jesus, "Are you truly the Son of God?"
(If Yes, then:)
To Mohammed: "Do you maintain that he is merely a prophet of God?"
(If Mohammed gives the traditional Muslim answer that Jesus is a prophet but not the incarnate Son of God, then:)
To Mohammed: "So you believe this man is a true prophet of God, but also a liar?"

...and so on, and so forth.

The list of questions, interviews, and dialogs I could and would have is virtually endless. But the presence of these five people could do more to potentially clear many theological misconceptions about (and within and in-between) the major religions, by going straight to the source and setting aside the human-affected dogma and doctrine that has interfered for millennia.

Answer 3

My guests would be:

Sigmund Freud.
Carl Jung.
William James.
The gentleman known to us as Jack the Ripper.
One of the men who served in the investigation of the above named gentleman's crimes. There are many, but I would probably go for Inspector Abberline or Commisioner Warren, as they both had extensive knowledge of the case.

The evening would, naturally, revolve around one man's crimes. The three psychologists would be on hand to ask him pointed questions and try to get somewhere on the question of why he did what he did. They would also be able to draw on the knowledge of the police inspector about what led him to either solve or not solve the case correctly.

I just think it's a fascinating case, and I would like to get a psychologist's perspective on Jack the Ripper. I would also be interested to see if whichever inspector was present had any knowledge of the criminal (was he even investigated, etc.) Most of all, I would like to hear him speak honestly about his crimes, and his motivations, and see what Messrs. Freud, Jung, and James could come up with.

I would have the party catered, and I would instruct the caterer to serve a refined French meal with NO ORGAN MEATS (not even pate de fois gras).

Answer 4

I'll take Caesar for his leadership, Isaac Newton for his contributions to the sciences, Thomas Jefferson for his understanding of the proper role of government, da Vinci for his work in the arts, and Beethoven for his mastery of music.

Of course, there are plenty of other interesting choices out there -- Lincoln, Washington, Mahatma Gandhi, Ben Franklin, Aristotle, Rousseau, Plato, Einstein, etc. -- that would be just as interesting. And there are a good number of folks whose brains I'd like to pick but they aren't dead enough yet -- Eisenhower, Bobby Jones, Churchill, and some others.

Answer 5

Well, the first would be Abraham Lincoln; solely because he freed the slaves with the emancipation proclamation and I am a black man.

The second would be Martin Luther king jr. He seemed like a wonderful person to know and he has been dead for 43 years. (just barely made the mark.)

The third would be Albert Einstein. I am a person very much involved in science and I would like to ask hime questions like what was that last theory he was workin on before he died.

the fourth would be Jesus (although I should have put him first) Jesus would be able to try and releive me of my ways and turn toward god more. he could do amazing things in that one evening.

and the fifth would be George washington Carver. The man seemed very smart and I would like to ask hime lots of questions that may be able to help me on things later on.

that's my list and I think it's a very good one too.

Answer 6

The greatest conversation that never took place would be between Paul and Socrates. One sought truth. The other posessed truth. Both were brilliant, both were bulldogs who would stay in a conversation for days if that's what it took to reack a conclusion. I'd have Ben Franklin for comic relief and then maybe fill the rest of the seats with educated strippers.

Answer 7

Only five? Okay. I would invite Eleanor of Acquitaine, William Shakespeare, Confucius, Aristotle, and Mary Baker Eddy. Given the breadth of political, philisophical, and artistic knowledge and experience, what a terrific, enlightening conversation we could have!

Answer 8

I would love to have John Lennon at the head of the table, while to his right would be Maryln Monroe. To John Lennon's left would be the irressistible Arthur Conan Doyle. A seat a way, looking rather askance at the gathering next to him would be Betrand Russell and opposite him would be Florence Nightingale. Yep, should be quite an evening of it! Ha! Dayo

Answer 9

Alfred Jarry, Edgar Varese, Salvador Dali, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Charles Baudelaire. We'd have absurdity, electronic music, freaky wall hangings, absinthe, opium, and poetry.

Answer 10

Henry David Thoreau - to discuss the value of returning to communal gardens, altho he, himself was a bit of a recluse, in some ways.

George Orwell - to discuss the current relevance of his novel,"1984," and how some of it has come to pass.

James Madison - to clarify for many the intent of the Bill of Rights and why it should not be tampered with.

Mohammed - to put to shame the bastardization of Islam.

Tom Paine - author of "Common Sense" to discuss the current state of church and state.