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who is your favorite philosopher?

Started by jduster, September 18, 2010, 05:38:45 AM

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humblesmurph

Quote from: "wildfire_emissary"I nominate jac3510.


 lol

Intercourseman72

Though Lysander Spooner didn't really unite his philosophical views into a structural form of political economy, I think his philosophical commentaries put him in a category of his own when it comes to, colloquially known, libertarian philosophy. He is called an individualist anarchist despite having been an entrepreneur during his attempt to rival the US postal (anarchism is strictly socialism/communism) and his moral beliefs are founded in what he thought were natural rights. For a lack of a better term, Lysander Spooner is unambiguously a libertarian hero.

Lao Tzu(Laozi) and Chuang Tzu are not among my favorite philosophers, but are very compelling and peculiar. They go way back and Lao Tzu was said to have been born at the turn of the 6th century BC, pre-dating even Confucius in his philosophy. Lao Tzu is often depicted as a Daoist god and strongly opposes state intervention in the lives of people for nearly all circumstances. Chuang Tzu-Zhuangzi said the world "does not need governing; in fact it should not be governed," and, "Good order results spontaneously when things are let alone." Murray Rothbard called him "perhaps the world's first anarchist". Chuang Tzu probably would be considered an anarchist in the historical sense as opposed to the Rothbardian sense and leads me to believe he was millennia ahead of his time. He didn't advocate what real anarchists do such as workers own the means of production or things like that, but put forth very strong arguments against the use and abuse (use necessitates abuse) of government done by the Imperial Chinese government at the time. Well, in a way. He was kind of like an anarcho-primitivist. No less interesting contrast between this anti-state Taoism and the authoritarian legalism of Imperial China at the time.  

My favorite of the list is probably Aristotle because he never exploited Socrates's Socratic Method of manipulating people and guiding their train and range of thought through asking simple, yet leading questions. Seemed to have a little more intellectual honesty than Socrates or Plato. At least from what I can tell, Aristotle was less manipulative and sophistic. Aside from that, I tend to see quite a bit of insight in his views on political economy at least from someone who still lived during the days of infanticide.

Least favorite... Thomas Hobbes easily. Should be pretty obvious why.

Whitney

Quote from: "AreEl"
Quote from: "Mistermischief"Ayn Rand...and I find it incredible that you didn't list her on your list.

Ditto for me, Ayn Rand. I also find it incredible that an atheist would not list Rand.


I probably wouldn't have listed her either...she just doesn't come to mind when I think of a short list of influential philosophers nor has she been a personal influence.

Whitney

I think I'll go with other...Daniel Quinn; not a classic philosopher but as close as I get to a favorite.

deekayfry

Quote from: "Jac3510"Out of those listed, Aristotle. Over all, Thomas Aquinas. Of his interpreters, Etienne Gilson or Joseph Owens, although Henry Veatch is very high on my list as well.

Hey, Chris, you and I at least agree on something.  Mine is Aristotle, too.
I told the people of my district that I would serve them as faithfully as I had done; but if not ... you may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas.-  Davey Crockett, 1834

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Byronazriel

I have a nightsaber named Nietzsche on WoW...

Though if I had to choose a favourite philosopher, it would have to be Joshua Norton I: Emperer of the United States, and Protector of Mexico!

On the other hand, if we can choose fictional people I would have to pick Itsuki Koizumi.

Best quotes:

"Relax! I don't believe in the existence of an Almighty God, or the Ultimate Creator that created humans. Many of my companions think the same way as well. Yet, there's one thing that bothers us."
Bothered by what?
"The things that we do. Are they as foolish as a clown doing a handstand by the edge of a cliff?" - Koizumi

"I could argue all day about the significance of facing east in religious rituals, but a clean table is a clean table." - Norton

"Being desirous of allaying the dissensions of party strife now existing within our realm, I do hereby dissolve and abolish the Democratic and Republican parties, and also do hereby decree the disfranchisement and imprisonment, for not more than 10, nor less than five, years, to all persons leading to any violation of this our imperial decree." - Emperor Norton I
"You are trying to understand madness with logic. This is not unlike searching for darkness with a torch." -Jervis Tetch