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malthaussen

(18,564 posts)

9. That's why we have horse races, eh?

Reply to Vattel (Reply #7)

Mon Jun 1, 2015, 01:26 PM

Jun 2015

One question that should be considered is what is meant by "greatest." If it is considered in terms of influence, then Machiavelli and Aristotle move far up the list.

-- Mal

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Greatest political philosopher [View all] DemocratSinceBirth Jun 2015 OP

Confucius. nt Rex Jun 2015 #1

John Rawls defininitely needs to be on the list n/t Narkos Jun 2015 #2

Not having Rawls on the list is weird. Vattel Jun 2015 #3

Montesquieu? Machiavelli? malthaussen Jun 2015 #4

Montesquieu and Machiavelli were intellectual lightweights. Vattel Jun 2015 #7

That's why we have horse races, eh? malthaussen Jun 2015 #9

Machiavelli yes, but Aristotle? His political philosophy wasn't that influential, was it? Vattel Jun 2015 #10

Aristotle in general was influential... malthaussen Jun 2015 #18

Aristotle's defense of democracy didn't seem to have much impact (correct me if I am wrong). Vattel Jun 2015 #25

Probably one of the reasons Aristotle fell out of vogue... malthaussen Jun 2015 #34

Yes, and he was the opposite of Epicurus in that regard, Vattel Jun 2015 #42

Britney Spears zappaman Jun 2015 #5

What's her DU handle??!!!!1111 bigwillq Jun 2015 #27

If I were to hazard a guess, Art_from_Ark Jun 2015 #32

Willie Nelson Buzz Clik Jun 2015 #6

good point Willie Vattel Jun 2015 #26

John Fugelsang. JaneyVee Jun 2015 #8

Socrates? Koinos Jun 2015 #11

i think it's assumed that the earliest work is ascribed to Socrates nashville_brook Jun 2015 #20

No dialogues were put into writing by Socrates himself. He was too busy conversing to write. Koinos Jun 2015 #22

right, my point is they're ascribed to him -- "scribed" nashville_brook Jun 2015 #43

Rather, Plato's earlier dialogues are considered to be truer to the source. malthaussen Jun 2015 #33

Groucho or Karl for the Marx? el_bryanto Jun 2015 #12

Just wait till I get through with it! hifiguy Jun 2015 #15

what about Harpo ... what did he have to say? napkinz Jun 2015 #16

The last man nearly ruined this place... meaculpa2011 Jun 2015 #40

I have always been a fan of hifiguy Jun 2015 #13

Mark Twain Fearless Jun 2015 #14

Every neocon will tell you Leo Strauss was the greatest political philosopher.... Brother Buzz Jun 2015 #17

Why not Burke? DemocratSinceBirth Jun 2015 #19

I love Burke Recursion Jun 2015 #37

Strauss was an interesting political philosopher. His distinction between esoteric and exoteric Recursion Jun 2015 #36

Jesus AngryAmish Jun 2015 #21

Locke. No political theory was more transformative than "consent of the governed" lumberjack_jeff Jun 2015 #23

Oh I don't know. I'd say "Divine Right" was more "transformative" in an absolute sense Recursion Jun 2015 #38

Other: Michael Sandel Exilednight Jun 2015 #24

George Carlin? Will Rogers? Bill Hicks? Chris Rock? George Takei? Warpy Jun 2015 #28

Carlin or Zappa. :) cyberswede Jun 2015 #29

leaning towards locke JI7 Jun 2015 #30

Marcus Aurelius Hiraeth Jun 2015 #31

Machiavelli (nt) Recursion Jun 2015 #35

Three others: H2O Man Jun 2015 #39

James Madison. n/t meaculpa2011 Jun 2015 #41