Question:
Which philosopher/author brings you greater understanding? If youre fave isn't listed which is likely cause there are only five spots, than talk about them.

Choices:
Nietzsche
Kierkegaard
Voltaire
Thoreau
C.S. Lewis

 

Out of those: Voltaire and C.S. Lewis
~ I had to read Candide last year and for a novel written in the 1700s, it was fascinating. I recommend everyone read it.

I would like to draw your attention to others, Buddha, Schopenhauer, Freud, Marx, Sartre, Camus, de Beauvoir, etc.

Its sad when your fav isn't there, or at least your group of favs, though Nietzsche is good too.

I don't base all my thoughts on any philosopher, but sometimes it's nice to contemplate the things that they've said.

I don't really know much about any philosophers. I personally think it's pretty silly to pattern your life after the ideas of one person.

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Do you not agree with Western philosophy, FML?

John Locke, Sir Thomas More, Thomas Paine.
That would be my philosophical posse. Pretty western bunch.

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Niccolo Machiavelli..

I know it was said a month ago, but EW. I wonder if (s)he has even read the Prince.

I like Socrates personally.

You have mostly western philosophers... Do you not agree with Western philosophy, FML?

Amongst those listed above I picked Voltaire, for I am French, & also because I share his views. I also appreciate Pythagoras, Epicurus & Hermes Trismegistus...

Without regards to the list, I would have to say Diogenes of Sinope, and a few self-made internet "philosophers." who aren't famous like Schopenhauer or Aristotle or the like, but carry great ideas nonetheless.

From that list, I would have to select Nietzsche and Thoreau.

Also, I rely much on my own intuition here. I'm not a fan of "role models."

Brit Hume is the host of Fox News' the beltway boys.

The man responsible for utilitarianism was John Stuart Mill.

Was Hume the one who invented utilitarianism? If so, I think he's pretty cool too...if not, screw him and his crazy ideas.

Why thank you.

You are right Jenos. Brit Hume is brilliant and his cutting edge political commentary should have put him on the list.

One word.

Hume.

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Originally posted by Sho:
Stable people become accountants.

Lol, I think if you want to become an accountant, you're none too stable.

Stable people become...boring.

Stable people become accountants.

Plato, most likely. But erm..I like some Nietzsche quotes, even though he himself called Plato boring. Specifically I like, "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

And "What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."

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Originally posted by Sho:
I have a feeling that really stable people don't exactly grow up and become philosophers.

That's right. Stable people become politicians! ...Oh shucks, they don't do that either.

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John Locke should be on the list. He is one of the single greatst minds ever.

You...spelled... but, yeah, you're right. Locke is the man.

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Locke was awesome. Nietzsche was a nut. He influenced Hitler.

Dude. Einstein's ideas helped build the atomic bomb, but the man was a pacifist. I don't think that's fair at all... if someone finds a book I write 200 years from now, and then grows up to be the next Pol Pot, do I become a posthumous nutjob?

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Niccolo Machiavelli... sometimes you just have to do violent things in order to achieve greatness.

No.

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Then you should have left Thoreau off. Talk about a nut.

I have a feeling that really stable people don't exactly grow up and become philosophers.