Who do you believe is the most influential person in history?

Question

And why do you believe this person is the most influential? It can be man or woman and from anywhere in the world.

Too many good answers I just can't choose one so I'll put it up to a vote.

Answer 1

Socrates for laying the foundation for Western philosophy.

Perhaps his most important contribution to Western thought is his dialectic method of inquiry, known as the Socratic Method which he largely applied to the examination of key moral concepts such as the Good and Justice.

Answer 2

While some people say "Jesus", that's merely the Christians' view.
The largest part of the word's population is made up by non-Christians. But that goes for all religions.

In my opinion, the most influential person had impact in each person on Earth, in the way we live today, in the distribution of languages, our way of life. That person, very unjustly forgotten is the person who has shaped the modern world, GLOBALLY, by setting into motion the age of discoveries:

While The Hundred Years' War and other conflicts were raging in Europe and in the world, this man's vision and efforts made possible the "global market" and trade as it is today, in every continent, religion or culture.

At a time when people believed the ocean was full of monsters and the existing maps showed, rudimentarily, only 3 continents, this man is responsible for opening minds and for reshaping the world. If not for this man, we might still be stumbling out of the dark ages.

The man who "gave birth" to modernity, by initiating, leading in the right direction and bequeathing the example:
-Henry the Navigator

Answer 3

on an identical time as some human beings say "Jesus", this is in basic terms the Christians' view. the biggest area of the be conscious's inhabitants is made up by ability of non-Christians. yet that is going for all religions. in my opinion, the main influential guy or woman had impact in each and every guy or woman in the worldwide, interior the way we live right this moment, interior the distribution of languages, our way of existence. That guy or woman, very unjustly forgotten is the guy who has formed the known worldwide, GLOBALLY, by ability of placing into action the age of discoveries: on an identical time as The Hundred Years' conflict and different conflicts have been raging in Europe and interior the worldwide, this guy's imaginative and prescient and efforts made a threat the "worldwide marketplace" and commerce because it particularly is right this moment, in each and every continent, faith or way of existence. At a time whilst human beings believed the sea grow to be crammed with monsters and the present maps confirmed, rudimentarily, basically 3 continents, this guy is in charge for establishing minds and for reshaping the worldwide. If no longer for this guy, we could desire to nevertheless be stumbling out of the dark an prolonged time. the guy who "gave beginning" to modernity, by ability of beginning, greatest interior the nicely suited course and bequeathing the occasion: -Henry the Navigator

Answer 4

Grog of the Cave Bear Clan was dubbed "most influential person in history" by the elders of the tribe in the Year 67,563 BC for his creation of the concept of gods, goddesses, angels and devils to keep members of his clan in line. The world has never been the same since, even today 80% of the Earth's population believe in a higher being or belong to some kind of organized religion

Answer 5

To be "the influential a person in history" a person must have had--and continue to have--an impact on a great number of people long beyond his or her own life. People like Hitler and Gandhi (who were suggested above) certainly had huge impacts during their life times, but it is unclear how long these impacts will last.

I would argue that the most influential people in history are those who created belief systems (or people around whom belief systems were created). Should these beliefs spread, they have much greater, long lasting influence than the temporary--albeit horrific--influence of someone like Hitler.

Using this theory, I would have to say there are four contenders: Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohamed. All created faiths--systems of belief--that impacted humanity from personal to national levels. Furthermore, all four are still influential today.

My final choice would be Mohammed. Although Jesus has more self-professed followers (there are about 2 billion Christians, and 1.4 billion Muslims), the followers of Mohamed tend to be more devout and dedicated (and even radical) in their faith. Furthermore, followers of Mohamed believe that their faith creates a model for living that includes government, economics, and spirituality--for the most faithful, there is no argument over the roles of religion in society: religion IS society.

And, no, I'm not Muslim.

Answer 6

Religion has had a enormous effect on the world, so the founders of the major religions of the world are all on the list of the most influential. But in the modern world science probably effects more people than any one religious leader because it effects all cultures. So my choice is Galileo. He is considered to be the "father of modern physics", and as the "father of the science".

Answer 7

That would have to be Moses, beyond a shadow of a doubt. He didn't exactly invent monotheism, but he certainly guaranteed its survival. In the process, he laid the foundations for two other great world religions, Christianity, and Islam. Three of the world's 5 major religions can be traced directly to Moses. Who else can top that?

Answer 8

St. Paul's restructuring of the Church created a hugely influential institution which has had a huge effect on the West for nearly two millennia so far.

Answer 9

I don't think you can pinpoint a single person. Even Jesus. There are a few people out there who haven't heard of him, know nothing of his teachings, or of Christianity (I admit the number has dropped, but still there are those isolated tribes).

And I'm not listing any myself, because I don't know names of people from Africa, Asia, Australia, who may have influenced the world. Some of them would be unnamed--who created gunpowder, for example? That certainly had a profound effect on the world.

Answer 10

Albert Einstein

It started with his energy equation from there came nuclear capabilities and the creation of nuclear weapons, then the use of these weapons twice. Then the Cold War and the increase of Nuclear Weapons carried by US and USSR. For 40 years there was the chance of Nuclear War if that isn't an impact I don't know what is.