Which philosopher do you admire most, and why?

Question

Hi mainwooll,
I agree especially if it's a doughnut with a hole, you can see your surroundings in a different perspective that way.

ADVICE, watch for the ring of sugar on your eye, it makes you feel a real plonker when you try to chat someone up, and well you know...

Hi jason H,
Yeah, one can sit for hours wondering how it got there, and if it will come out on its own.
You must be a very profound person.
Did you actually study Platos work;-)

I didn't give you a thumbs down, I don't do those...

Hi real Friend,
Yes, NIETZSCHE was truly misunderstood.
Many blamed him for the workings of the Nazi regime, simply because of his views on the pure breed. We can all twist things to fit our needs...

Hi Grahame H,
Well, you chose a good one. I have many books in my book case on Plato!

Thank you for answering...

Hi Thegustaf,
Two good philosophers there.
I read about plato when I was far too young, and enjoyed reading and studying him better when I reached twenty.
With Socrates, there was verbal irony romantic irony and so on...
I found it very interesting studying him, and still do to this day

Many thanks for answering...

Hi DeanPonde,

I also love, Lao Tzu, although some doubt his existence.
He believe man and nature were one.
Now that many people live in a concrete jungle, you can see why they don't stand a chance in life...

Many thanks for your answer...

Hi Scot32,

Confucius, he say, "philosophy"!
He thought we should all nurture brotherly love, loyalty and righteousness...

Thanks for your answer.

Answer 1

Plato and Socrates. Because their wisdom was so simple yet profound, and because their wisdom has survived thousands of years, and throughout many different languages. Impressive.

Answer 2

I have to admit to have a liking for the Greek's (Socrates, Aristotle, Plato) mode of thought and learning. If our teaching system was geared more towards their building of the individual, I feel that the world would be a far better place. It's pretty much challenging but easy going as a read.
I did go fishing in Heidegger's pool but felt that I was holding the wrong end of the rod and was missing a reel, and, possibly, line. That or someone had concreted it over.
The only one that made me feel like I was in the presence of a God-like intellect was Nietzsche. That said, I felt that he didn't expect to be understood and didn't really want to be and even made efforts not to be.
In the wise words of Confucius - "I never said all those things that they said I said."

Answer 3

Lao Tzu - Tao te Ching. He believed a person's conduct should be governed by instinct and conscience. He believed "simplicity" to be the key to truth and freedom.

I've read Sartre, Nietzsche, Plato, Descartes, Dali Lama, Chopra, St. Thomas, (I think that's all) but I still love the Tao. It is so simple and complete that it takes more intuition and contemplation to read between the lines rather than surviving a gauntlet of logic or incessant questioning. It doesn't look to exclude the meanings of reality or disbelieve what you naturally assume as true.

It does not take away or need a process of filtering. It is a one true pure understanding that you can spend your whole life pondering and applying to be a better person.

Answer 4

i believe that Socrates was a prophet not just as philosopher as well as Buddha. both rejected polytheism (Socrates the athenian gods and Buddha the hindu ones) and they were more or less contemporaries.

they believed in one God but their teachings have been distorted by perhaps well-meaning or perhaps ill-intentioned folk along the centuries to mean that as they rejected polytheism they rejected the concept of God as well. This was not so as they were both monotheistic, but history often distorts what went on afore (just like chinese whispers).

As you say, Niezche did not found nazism but his philosophy was used as a means to justify a political end. same goes for Socrates and Buddha

I admire too many philosophers to mention but the above two whom someone else mentioned are definitely on my list. Have a browse of the book I mention as my source for more info. It is well-worth at least an hour or so's reading time

Answer 5

Ken Wilber.
For bringing the concept of the perennial philosophy up to date and applying it to spirituality.
The only philosopher, as far as I know, to have made sense of spirituality.

Answer 6

Wittgenstein. Not only did he rethink from scratch, seeing clearly through the murk, he also truly lived his philosophy.

Answer 7

Nietzsche, so misunderstood that he is still on the outer fringe. Still as relevant as he was in his day.
The philosopher for everyone, and no one.
He was concerned with what we should strive for as humans. Or should we strive for anything at all?

Answer 8

maslow, got a lot of time for skinners work and confusious, freud was good think he took to many narcotics, piaget was good, are we on philosophy or psychology?

Answer 9

Thomas Aquinas or Duns Scotus. Both of these men thought that making God the object of contemplation is the most important thing in life.

Answer 10

boethius, for being the only medievel monk to be in the movie '24 hour party people' Also for being able to say that we should be happy that fate has been consistent whatever she may bring us, while in jail awaiting execution. brings meaning to the phrase "say it like you realy mean it"