Most Influential

[drgoodtrips]

A very simple question...

Who was the most influential person in human history?

My friend and I were discussing the life and times of Adolph Hitler. He made a rather hasty (in my opinion) statement that Hilter could have been qualified as one of the most important people in human history. I countered by saying that I thought, off the top of my head, that both Jesus of Nazereth and King John were more influential than Hitler.

This got me to pondering... who do you consider to be the most influential person (people) in history? You don't necessarily have to give your ultimate... just mention people you think were of paramount importance.

[Lily]

I would have to put Johann Gutenberg on that list. Inventing the printing press, thus ultimately making printed materials available to the masses, was a huge leap forward in elevating humankind's ability to share ideas.

[Michael]

I would have to put Johann Gutenberg on that list. Inventing the printing press, thus ultimately making printed materials available to the masses, was a huge leap forward in elevating humankind's ability to share ideas.

The problem I have with Gutenburg is that the actual invention of the printing press, in itself, had no real effect on society. The Koreans (for example) have a fully functional moveable-type printing press from the 9th or 10th century.

Thus, the real invention of the printing press had no real effect on any society.

The key here is Western society and culture. Inventing a printing press in Korea had no effect on anyone. Inventing the printing press in Western Europe had a huge effect on everyone.

Clearly politics and culture played a bigger role than the technology itself here.

[Michael]

This got me to pondering... who do you consider to be the most influential person (people) in history? You don't necessarily have to give your ultimate... just mention people you think were of paramount importance.

Martin Luther! (I beat Non Sequitor to it!) :D

The breaking of the authoritarian monopoly on Western culture exercised by the centralized Roman Catholic Church was a momentus 'sea-change' in Western political history.

Without Luther, I think you can forget about the Scientific Revolution and the Industrial Revolution as we had them. I think both were highly dependent upon the political changes necessitated by Luther's Reformation. No suprise that the industrial revolution was born in the UK (by private interests) and then quickly migrated to Northern Europe and USA - skipping the Counter-Reformation countries for several generations.

Indeed, those Counter-Reformation countries had to use their State apparatus to invoke/create the industrial revolution in their countries (France and Italy being the most notable examples of this).

Religion is always political.

[The Drunk Guy]

I would say the Prophet Muhammad. With the creation of Islam, he established a confrontational atmosphere between Arabia and Christian Europe as well as restarted the flames of Antisemitism. These themes have remained a major force in the Western World and has helped force the expansion of Christian thought into every household in the world. Through indirect action, his creation has caused more bloodshed, turmoil and expansion than any other creation in recorded history simply by backing Christianity into taking an expansionist turn.

[Michael]

I would say the Prophet Muhammad. With the creation of Islam, he established a confrontational atmosphere between Arabia and Christian Europe as well as restarted the flames of Antisemitism. These themes have remained a major force in the Western World and has helped force the expansion of Christian thought into every household in the world. Through indirect action, his creation has caused more bloodshed, turmoil and expansion than any other creation in recorded history simply by backing Christianity into taking an expansionist turn.

If Muhammad is important, then Charles Martel is just as important.

Charles Martel led the Franks at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD to defeat the Muslim invasion of Europe. This marked the apex of Muslim military expansion and the beginning of the rise of European military dominance.

[Donkey]

I think it is impractical to term any individual the "most influential person evar." Often as not (Hitler, for example), they are just particularly adept at riding the tides of humanity. Sure they often lend personal jaunt to it, but I think crediting individuals with the accomplishments or disasters of humanity is specious.

[Margot]

Martin Luther! (I beat Non Sequitor to it!) :D

The breaking of the authoritarian monopoly on Western culture exercised by the centralized Roman Catholic Church was a momentus 'sea-change' in Western political history.

Without Luther, I think you can forget about the Scientific Revolution and the Industrial Revolution as we had them. I think both were highly dependent upon the political changes necessitated by Luther's Reformation. No suprise that the industrial revolution was born in the UK (by private interests) and then quickly migrated to Northern Europe and USA - skipping the Counter-Reformation countries for several generations.

Indeed, those Counter-Reformation countries had to use their State apparatus to invoke/create the industrial revolution in their countries (France and Italy being the most notable examples of this).

Religion is always political.

Yeah, also, he had shit-flinging wars with Satan in the bathroom. Influence and sanity, mutually exclusive?

I think Alexander Fleming has some standing in the Super-important-people-of-the-world list.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/hippie423/PenicillinPSAedit.jpg

[dilettante]

I'll throw out Alexander the Great as hands-down more influential than Hitler.

[Lily]

The problem I have with Gutenburg is that the actual invention of the printing press, in itself, had no real effect on society. The Koreans (for example) have a fully functional moveable-type printing press from the 9th or 10th century.

Thus, the real invention of the printing press had no real effect on any society.

The key here is Western society and culture. Inventing a printing press in Korea had no effect on anyone. Inventing the printing press in Western Europe had a huge effect on everyone.

Clearly politics and culture played a bigger role than the technology itself here.

I didn't know about the Korean printing press. The Koreans didn't print the Bible, though. How much effect did printing that one book have on everyone?

[Michael]

I didn't know about the Korean printing press. The Koreans didn't print the Bible, though. How much effect did printing that one book have on everyone?

My point is that merely inventing something doesn't make one influential.

I'd say Gutenburg had very little influence himself. The printing press itself was a certainly influential invention in Europe, but not in Asia.

[Evangeline]

How about the caveman who discovered how to make fire and the caveman who invented the wheel?

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/usa/images-2/geico-caveman-relaxing.jpg

[SMadsen]

Imhotep or Alexander the Great. Or perhaps Buddha.

[Non Sequitur]

Martin Luther! (I beat Non Sequitor to it!) :D

The breaking of the authoritarian monopoly on Western culture exercised by the centralized Roman Catholic Church was a momentus 'sea-change' in Western political history.

Without Luther, I think you can forget about the Scientific Revolution and the Industrial Revolution as we had them. I think both were highly dependent upon the political changes necessitated by Luther's Reformation. No suprise that the industrial revolution was born in the UK (by private interests) and then quickly migrated to Northern Europe and USA - skipping the Counter-Reformation countries for several generations.

Indeed, those Counter-Reformation countries had to use their State apparatus to invoke/create the industrial revolution in their countries (France and Italy being the most notable examples of this).

Religion is always political.

lol i wasn't even going to nominate him. Arguably if you nominate Martin Luther you must nominate the founder of the religion Luther was a part of. Thus I nominate Jesus Christ. Speaking from a non-theological point of view, Christianity has been a driving force in western culture for over a thousand years.

[KSigMason]

I'm not sure who could be the most influential, but here is a good candidate:

Abram, or Abraham, the father of monotheism from which we now see Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Near the spot where was going to offer up his son Isaac we see the erection of King Solomons Temple and later Dome of the Rock.

[SMadsen]

I'm not sure who could be the most influential, but here is a good candidate:

Abram, or Abraham, the father of monotheism from which we now see Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Near the spot where was going to offer up his son Isaac we see the erection of King Solomons Temple and later Dome of the Rock.
Got any evidence of the dude? Or is it merely the myth you deem influential?

[Michael]

How about the caveman who discovered how to make fire and the caveman who invented the wheel?

Well, as near as I can recall from anthropology, the 'invention' of fire is some where about 2 million years ago.

The invention of the wheel appears to come from the Eurasian Steppes (the alleged birthplace of the 'Caucasians') circa 40,000 years ago.

[Michael]

Got any evidence of the dude? Or is it merely the myth you deem influential?
I believe there is fairly strong archeological evidence of the existence of Abraham as a person (i.e. cross-referenced period citations).

[Leprechaun]

The man who invented the spear (although there probably isn't any particular individual we can give credit to).

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/050822_spearfrm.htm

[Donkey]

The man who invented the spear (although there probably isn't any particular individual we can give credit to).

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/050822_spearfrm.htm
Interesting. A stone age nuclear weapon, perhaps? ;)

[Leprechaun]

Interesting. A stone age nuclear weapon, perhaps? ;)

Well it did play a large part in the migration of humanity thus one could argue that without it there would have been no Europe, no America, no Middle East etc.

[Lily]

My point is that merely inventing something doesn't make one influential.

I'd say Gutenburg had very little influence himself. The printing press itself was a certainly influential invention in Europe, but not in Asia.

Thomas Edison might disagree (although he seemed to take some credit where credit was not due), but I'll concede my point, for now.

[Americano]

There's a significant number of aged women who would swear that title belongs to Elvis.

[Michael]

Thomas Edison might disagree (although he seemed to take some credit where credit was not due), but I'll concede my point, for now.
Thomas Edison is a classic example of the phenomena.

In many cases, Edison won patents for his ideas by getting the patent registered before someone else did. If Edison himself didn't invent anything at all, every single product would still have been invented.

I don't know how many inventors were racing to get the patent on the telephone, but Alexander Graham Bell won by only hours.

In many cases, the name on the invention is ultimately almost irrelevant - if that particular inventor didn't do it, someone else would very soon after.

Ergo, I don't consider 'inventors' to be all that influential. They are almost irrelevant to their own inventions even.

(I'm not trying to 'diss' inventors, only to put inventions into perspective)

[Evangeline]

Well, as near as I can recall from anthropology, the 'invention' of fire is some where about 2 million years ago.

The invention of the wheel appears to come from the Eurasian Steppes (the alleged birthplace of the 'Caucasians') circa 40,000 years ago.

Oh duh. Of course.

[KSigMason]

Got any evidence of the dude? Or is it merely the myth you deem influential?
That is why I was a little unsure. The proof of anyone's existence in ancient times is hard to prove. Regardless, of his existence his persona has had a large effect on the world.

[Michael]

That is why I was a little unsure. The proof of anyone's existence in ancient times is hard to prove. Regardless, of his existence his persona has had a large effect on the world.

Indeed, it is difficult to prove the existence of anyone before the time of the Romans and even then existing records are very limited and usually only pertain to famous people (hence the Apostle's Creed and the pointed reference to Pontius Pilote).

Anyway, if Jesus and/or Muhammad are considered influential, then I'd agree that Abraham certainly must be equally if not more so.

[SMadsen]

That is why I was a little unsure. The proof of anyone's existence in ancient times is hard to prove. Regardless, of his existence his persona has had a large effect on the world.
Indeed, that was the humble point of my question. Same reason I mentioned Buddha as an influential character. Even if such characters would be easy to provide evidence of, it needn't have been the persons themselves that showed to be influential but the myths and legends surrounding them.

[Sucre]

I would say the Prophet Muhammad. With the creation of Islam, he established a confrontational atmosphere between Arabia and Christian Europe as well as restarted the flames of Antisemitism. These themes have remained a major force in the Western World and has helped force the expansion of Christian thought into every household in the world. Through indirect action, his creation has caused more bloodshed, turmoil and expansion than any other creation in recorded history simply by backing Christianity into taking an expansionist turn.
I agree.

iInded, prophets in general. Jesus is one of them as well. Or Buddah. People still act in their names 1,000 until 2,000 years later ... That is an accomplishment !