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Who is the smartest person to have ever lived?
Topic Started: Oct 14 2011, 03:12 PM (4,208 Views)
Chocl8215
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Man of great chocolate
I see sun tzu as the best general on here by far, I mean when you write something down that still gets used almost a thousand years later, SOMETHING has to be right with it. it's why I originally put Thomas Jeffesron on the list, rather than J.K. (I figured I needed at least one or two women on the list). The constitution was written up almost 400 years ago, and yet it still stands as the foundation of every law america has made since creation. As for tsu, The man was ahead of his time and still managed to be totally successful, whereas many "should have been born in five hundred years" types like leonardo davinci, never got their big projects done for lack of (for lack of a better word) a catalyst.
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Dantos4
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The reason Da Vinci wasn't so renowned was that his research was only discovered after we had discovered most of what he was researching.

That actually brings me to this question: Just because Sun Tzu WROTE the book, does it mean he's the best. What if Alexander had written a book too? But it was never found. Or what if Sun Tzu's book was never found?

That is more an act of achievement (and partly luck) than anything else. I understand that we can only go on the facts we actually have, but it doesn't necessarily make somebody more intelligent just because their work has survived for longer.
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Warden of Wisdom
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The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent. -Carl Sagan
Chocl8215
May 10 2012, 04:44 PM
I see sun tzu as the best general on here by far, I mean when you write something down that still gets used almost a thousand years later, SOMETHING has to be right with it. it's why I originally put Thomas Jeffesron on the list, rather than J.K. (I figured I needed at least one or two women on the list). The constitution was written up almost 400 years ago, and yet it still stands as the foundation of every law america has made since creation. As for tsu, The man was ahead of his time and still managed to be totally successful, whereas many "should have been born in five hundred years" types like leonardo davinci, never got their big projects done for lack of (for lack of a better word) a catalyst.
But this is who is the best General. Yes, the book is used today as people mentioned in business and finance amongst other things, but how many times do you see people covering plains in sesame oil now a days? "The Art of War" was revolutionary, of corse, but today the specific strategies and methods of warfare aren't in use. Warfare has changed. So much, in fact, that most of the famous tactics of his are obsolete and useless today, even if the book itself is not. So a book that is used today may be an eligible reason for the highest impact writing, or best strategical book, but not for making him the most intelligent general. It does mean that, as you said, something is right with it. But so is leading men that literally believe you are the son of the horned god of revenge because you are that good.

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Squee913
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Not sure if this was already mentioned, but I would say Newton was one of the brightest people to ever live. He created the laws of motion, and modern physics by the time he was 26. The dude was asked why the planets did not orbit in a perfect circle and in a month the man created Calculus to explain it. What did you do last month? Me? Oh, not much... just created a whole new set of Mathematics cause someone dared me to.
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Chocl8215
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Man of great chocolate
Warden of Wisdom
May 10 2012, 05:17 PM
Chocl8215
May 10 2012, 04:44 PM
I see sun tzu as the best general on here by far, I mean when you write something down that still gets used almost a thousand years later, SOMETHING has to be right with it. it's why I originally put Thomas Jeffesron on the list, rather than J.K. (I figured I needed at least one or two women on the list). The constitution was written up almost 400 years ago, and yet it still stands as the foundation of every law america has made since creation. As for tsu, The man was ahead of his time and still managed to be totally successful, whereas many "should have been born in five hundred years" types like leonardo davinci, never got their big projects done for lack of (for lack of a better word) a catalyst.
But this is who is the best General. Yes, the book is used today as people mentioned in business and finance amongst other things, but how many times do you see people covering plains in sesame oil now a days? "The Art of War" was revolutionary, of corse, but today the specific strategies and methods of warfare aren't in use. Warfare has changed. So much, in fact, that most of the famous tactics of his are obsolete and useless today, even if the book itself is not. So a book that is used today may be an eligible reason for the highest impact writing, or best strategical book, but not for making him the most intelligent general. It does mean that, as you said, something is right with it. But so is leading men that literally believe you are the son of the horned god of revenge because you are that good.

you know, many leaders around the early iron age and late bronze age thought they were gods. ramses, Genghis Khan, that chinese emporer who built the forbidden palace (can't remember his name), Ivan the terrible (well he thought he was an angel, but same difference) I recall them all going by the "I was sent by god or I am a god" reasoning, and their subjects all had various reasons to believe them; mainly death if they didn't.
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Chocl8215
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Man of great chocolate
Squee913
May 10 2012, 06:59 PM
Not sure if this was already mentioned, but I would say Newton was one of the brightest people to ever live. He created the laws of motion, and modern physics by the time he was 26. The dude was asked why the planets did not orbit in a perfect circle and in a month the man created Calculus to explain it. What did you do last month? Me? Oh, not much... just created a whole new set of Mathematics cause someone dared me to.
I beliebe Galileo did a similar thing, only difference is it took him a bit longer, although Galileo ahd to work under the scrutiny of the catholic church and you know how they were at the time.
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Warden of Wisdom
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The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent. -Carl Sagan
Chocl8215
May 10 2012, 07:03 PM
Warden of Wisdom
May 10 2012, 05:17 PM
Chocl8215
May 10 2012, 04:44 PM
I see sun tzu as the best general on here by far, I mean when you write something down that still gets used almost a thousand years later, SOMETHING has to be right with it. it's why I originally put Thomas Jeffesron on the list, rather than J.K. (I figured I needed at least one or two women on the list). The constitution was written up almost 400 years ago, and yet it still stands as the foundation of every law america has made since creation. As for tsu, The man was ahead of his time and still managed to be totally successful, whereas many "should have been born in five hundred years" types like leonardo davinci, never got their big projects done for lack of (for lack of a better word) a catalyst.
But this is who is the best General. Yes, the book is used today as people mentioned in business and finance amongst other things, but how many times do you see people covering plains in sesame oil now a days? "The Art of War" was revolutionary, of corse, but today the specific strategies and methods of warfare aren't in use. Warfare has changed. So much, in fact, that most of the famous tactics of his are obsolete and useless today, even if the book itself is not. So a book that is used today may be an eligible reason for the highest impact writing, or best strategical book, but not for making him the most intelligent general. It does mean that, as you said, something is right with it. But so is leading men that literally believe you are the son of the horned god of revenge because you are that good.

you know, many leaders around the early iron age and late bronze age thought they were gods. ramses, Genghis Khan, that chinese emporer who built the forbidden palace (can't remember his name), Ivan the terrible (well he thought he was an angel, but same difference) I recall them all going by the "I was sent by god or I am a god" reasoning, and their subjects all had various reasons to believe them; mainly death if they didn't.
Did anyone of those conquer almost 20 million square miles at the age of 25 without defeat? Also I don't blame Ramses for thinking he was a god, because ancient egypt believed all pharos were gods. Alexander was so legendary and immensely revered for a reason, and some of the legends of him, like building a still standing land bridge to Tyre, are widely regarded as factual truths.

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Chocl8215
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Man of great chocolate
Warden of Wisdom
May 10 2012, 07:11 PM
Chocl8215
May 10 2012, 07:03 PM
Warden of Wisdom
May 10 2012, 05:17 PM
Chocl8215
May 10 2012, 04:44 PM
I see sun tzu as the best general on here by far, I mean when you write something down that still gets used almost a thousand years later, SOMETHING has to be right with it. it's why I originally put Thomas Jeffesron on the list, rather than J.K. (I figured I needed at least one or two women on the list). The constitution was written up almost 400 years ago, and yet it still stands as the foundation of every law america has made since creation. As for tsu, The man was ahead of his time and still managed to be totally successful, whereas many "should have been born in five hundred years" types like leonardo davinci, never got their big projects done for lack of (for lack of a better word) a catalyst.
But this is who is the best General. Yes, the book is used today as people mentioned in business and finance amongst other things, but how many times do you see people covering plains in sesame oil now a days? "The Art of War" was revolutionary, of corse, but today the specific strategies and methods of warfare aren't in use. Warfare has changed. So much, in fact, that most of the famous tactics of his are obsolete and useless today, even if the book itself is not. So a book that is used today may be an eligible reason for the highest impact writing, or best strategical book, but not for making him the most intelligent general. It does mean that, as you said, something is right with it. But so is leading men that literally believe you are the son of the horned god of revenge because you are that good.

you know, many leaders around the early iron age and late bronze age thought they were gods. ramses, Genghis Khan, that chinese emporer who built the forbidden palace (can't remember his name), Ivan the terrible (well he thought he was an angel, but same difference) I recall them all going by the "I was sent by god or I am a god" reasoning, and their subjects all had various reasons to believe them; mainly death if they didn't.
Did anyone of those conquer almost 20 million square miles at the age of 25 without defeat? Also I don't blame Ramses for thinking he was a god, because ancient egypt believed all pharos were gods. Alexander was so legendary and immensely revered for a reason, and some of the legends of him, like building a still standing land bridge to Tyre, are widely regarded as factual truths.

... well genghis did. and ivan did take a ton of land before he died, although he was older, I'll give you that.
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RandomMan1
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Warden of Wisdom
May 10 2012, 07:11 PM
Chocl8215
May 10 2012, 07:03 PM
Warden of Wisdom
May 10 2012, 05:17 PM
Chocl8215
May 10 2012, 04:44 PM
I see sun tzu as the best general on here by far, I mean when you write something down that still gets used almost a thousand years later, SOMETHING has to be right with it. it's why I originally put Thomas Jeffesron on the list, rather than J.K. (I figured I needed at least one or two women on the list). The constitution was written up almost 400 years ago, and yet it still stands as the foundation of every law america has made since creation. As for tsu, The man was ahead of his time and still managed to be totally successful, whereas many "should have been born in five hundred years" types like leonardo davinci, never got their big projects done for lack of (for lack of a better word) a catalyst.
But this is who is the best General. Yes, the book is used today as people mentioned in business and finance amongst other things, but how many times do you see people covering plains in sesame oil now a days? "The Art of War" was revolutionary, of corse, but today the specific strategies and methods of warfare aren't in use. Warfare has changed. So much, in fact, that most of the famous tactics of his are obsolete and useless today, even if the book itself is not. So a book that is used today may be an eligible reason for the highest impact writing, or best strategical book, but not for making him the most intelligent general. It does mean that, as you said, something is right with it. But so is leading men that literally believe you are the son of the horned god of revenge because you are that good.

you know, many leaders around the early iron age and late bronze age thought they were gods. ramses, Genghis Khan, that chinese emporer who built the forbidden palace (can't remember his name), Ivan the terrible (well he thought he was an angel, but same difference) I recall them all going by the "I was sent by god or I am a god" reasoning, and their subjects all had various reasons to believe them; mainly death if they didn't.
Did anyone of those conquer almost 20 million square miles at the age of 25 without defeat? Also I don't blame Ramses for thinking he was a god, because ancient egypt believed all pharos were gods. Alexander was so legendary and immensely revered for a reason, and some of the legends of him, like building a still standing land bridge to Tyre, are widely regarded as factual truths.

Well, in all fairness, Alexander won because he used tactics and soldiers frm throughout the known world (once again, nothing new). Anyways, I called Sun Tzu the smartest general ever, not the best. There is a distinction. Alexander might have been an amazing leader, but Sun Tzu was an innovator ahead of his time, Alexander just caught on to the past, which I'm not saying is stupid. Quite the opposite, it was very smart, I just feel that Sun Tzu beat him out.

Oh, and, the greates artist on the list is definatley Shakesphere.
Edited by RandomMan1, May 10 2012, 07:19 PM.
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Warden of Wisdom
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The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent. -Carl Sagan
Yes, actually, Ghengis Khan did do that, so I'll give you that one. But anyway, should the actual intelligence of the general be based upon how well their plethora of tactics performed, or how many of those tactics were simply their ideas or adaptations of older ones? Oxford Dictionary lists intelligent as obtaining and applying knowledge, exactly what Alexander did.
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