[reervieltnope]

I caught this link at another forum I belong to and found it interesting. The list at the site is made up of famous people that one man considers to have been the most historically influential. There is a brief explanation of how he compiled his list, also a summary of how many people belonged to each religion. What do you think? Would you have reordered the list, placed Jesus higher than Muhammad and Newton?

adherents.com

[Rinkeliacasse]

I probably would have left Mohammed were he is, but I would have placed Plato in the place of Issac Newton, with Jesus Christ below Plato. Of course this is only my opinion.

In our modern world we have lost awareness of the great contribution that Plato had upon our culture and upon the world. He was the father of western philosophy. The great schools of Alexandria were founded upon the Plato's philososphy, and it was in Alexandria that Christian doctrines took form. Many of the early Christian fathers were first Platonic philosophers. Even though the Christian Church would eventually destroy the original Platonic Academy and all other Platonic schools, it would be the study of Plato and Aristotles (whose teachings had been preserved by the muslims) that would usher in the Renaissance and eventually our modern world of science and democracy.

I would have place Aristotles together with Issac Newton. Aristotles is the father of logic, and he was one of the true early scientists.

Just the opinion of one man.

Hermano Luis
Moriviví Hermitage

[papadopul]

I agree Luis. And I wanted to add that I interpretted the list as being a compilation of people who have influenced history aside from their effects upon religious and spiritual beliefs. The summary of how many people belonged to which religion might be a little misleading in that way. These people influenced the world not just via philosophy but also by methods resulting in physical actions.

For instance, I had read a comment at the other forum disagreeing in regard to why Hitler was placed so highly upon the list when compared to some of the other names. Like it or not, Hitler had a very profound effect upon history, some of his actions still influencing the world today just as much as many others on the list. Muhammad was also selected as number one for both religious and military achievements.

[PersonalLoansBank]

I agree Luis. And I wanted to add that I interpretted the list as being a compilation of people who have influenced history aside from their effects upon religious and spiritual beliefs. The summary of how many people belonged to which religion might be a little misleading in that way. These people influenced the world not just via philosophy but also by methods resulting in physical actions.

For instance, I had read a comment at the other forum disagreeing in regard to why Hitler was placed so highly upon the list when compared to some of the other names. Like it or not, Hitler had a very profound effect upon history, some of his actions still influencing the world today just as much as many others on the list. Muhammad was also selected as number one for both religious and military achievements.

I agree with you. I went back to the list, and I would bring Johann Gutenberg , the first European to print with movable type, to position #2. He created a great intellectual revolution which made possible our modern world. And yes I would leave Hitler.

[gennickO]

No american indians made the list? Even if they don't include wise people like White Buffalo, what about Geronimo and Sitting Bull? They greatly impacted the country during their day!

[Andromino]

Remember that the list is one man's interpretation of importance. He may have not felt there were accomplishments there, or he was blind to them whether it was inadvertant or purposeful. But by the same token, do we know that none of the people on the list did not have Native American bloodlines? Or perhaps bloodlines that were related to any native tribe anywhere in the world? At first glance he seems to have disregarded race, but I haven't looked at and considered the entire list.

[euylvaygdq]

I agree with Muhammed at the top spot, but think that Jesus should be a close second. Remember, the topic was influentual people. I think the influence of automobiles affects more people then x-rays. Between Muhammed & Jesus, more people worldwide are affected by their lives and teachings.

[Enfotanab]

Well...I would have placed Jesus First. This is all opinion and mine would change depending upon what day it is...LOL. I may not have liked all these folks but wow.....

2. Mohammad
3. Buddha
4. Martin Luther
5. Karl Marx/Lenin
6. Alexander the Great
7.Julius/Augustus Caeser
8. Genghis Kahn
9. Hitler
10. Charlemagne
11. Mao Tse Tung
12. Sigmund Freud
13.Ghandi
14.Stalin
15.Galileo Galilei
16.Aristotle/Plato
17.Newton
18.Euclid
19.Edison
20.Watt
21.Ford
22.Jenner
23. The Widow's Son...
24. Napolean
25. Hippocrates
26.Marconi
27. Zworykin/Farnsworth (TV)
27.Konrad Kuse (Computers)
28. Gates/Jobs

Some of the others on the list were credited for things they really didn't do.

Movable type existed before Gutenberg for one..

An iron printing press was first invented by Chae Yun-eui (채윤의) in 1234, 216 years ahead of Gutenberg's feat in 1450.[1],and the first movable type by chinese Bi Sheng between 1041 to 1048 in the world. He does clarify the Galileo accurately described heliocentricity and Copernicus but Aristotle first described it.

Euclid described mathematical principles that were in use. What he really did was systemize them. The Egyptians were using many of his concepts already in building. It's no surprise that he worked out of Alexandria, Egypt.

There are others..

[Zhgrlpil]

It may be a sad state of things that whomever the spotlight happens to fall on at the time always steals the show. For centuries Christopher Columbus received credit for discovering this continent but we know that was not the case now.

[Wrasialat]

true...it might be a better way of putting it to say that some people merely REdiscover something. Some, but not all, history books at least make the effort to set the record straight. The wright brothers didn't invent the first plane, ford definitely did not invent the first car (though he did have a hand in the first mass production line), and the use of electricity is about 4,000 years old...nobody in the last couple centuries actually "discovered" it.