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#51
10-23-2007, 05:24 PM
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Re: Greatest People of All Time
[ QUOTE ]
Huh, I'm surprised no one has mentioned my favorite philosopher (and the best philosopher of all time, IMO) Bertrand Russel. He definitely makes the list. [/ QUOTE ] I [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] Bertie. And to call him a philosopher is to sell him way short. 
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#52
10-23-2007, 05:26 PM
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Re: Greatest People of All Time
[ QUOTE ]
I'm not some philistine... [/ QUOTE ] <tangent> Man, did western (or Judeo-Christian to be accurate) history screw these dudes with a massively biased and likely inaccurate portrayal of a culture. Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philistinism): The Philistines were an advanced culture relative to their contemporary Canaanite neighbors - notably the Jews (kingdom of Judah), with whom they bordered. The Philistines were not indigenous to the region (possibly proto-Greek), having (according to general, though not fully substantiated theory) been part of a larger group known as the 'Sea Peoples' who made war on Egypt and lost - eventually settling just out of Egypt's sphere of influence. Modern archeology in Israel has shown that Philistine urban structure, commercial complexity and technology (pottery/iron) were all more advanced than that of other contemporary Canaanites. Most telling of all comes from 1 Samuel where the Jews (still a bronze society) describe the resentment of trading-dependence with the Philistines for obtaining & re-sharpening of iron agricultural tools. This command of iron (and unwillingness to trade iron weaponry) allowed the far smaller Philistine culture to survive the perpetual wars with their Jewish neighbors. Their boutique culture could not withstand the Assyrian and later Babylonian expansions into Canaan, however - after which they disappeared as a cohesive cultural group. </tangent>
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#53
10-23-2007, 05:36 PM
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Re: Greatest People of All Time
Russell may have been a very intelligent man, but I never got this quote of his:
"Religion is based . . . mainly on fear . . . fear of the mysterious, fear of defeat, fear of death. Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion have gone hand in hand. . . . My own view on religion is that of Lucretius. I regard it as a disease born of fear and as a source of untold misery to the human race." "Fear is the parent of cruelty, therefore it is no wonder if religion and cruelty have gone hand-in-hand." "I believe that when I die I shall rot, and nothing of my ego will survive. I am not young, and I love life. But I should scorn to shiver with terror at the thought of annihilation. Happiness is none the less true happiness because it must come to an end, nor do thought and love lose their value because they are not everlasting." "I am myself a dissenter from all known religions, and I hope that every kind of religious belief will die out." - Bertrand Russell, British philosopher, educator, mathematician, and social critic (1872-1970). I never got the quote because I never had this fear he is talking about. I know I should respect God which is a form of "fearing" him because I have less stature to God than an ant has to a man. Still I never was afraid. I think somehow Russell never understood the heart of a believer. A lot of believers will probably tell you they believe much more in infinite possibilities than they were afraid. Sort of right-brained of us, I know.
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#56
10-23-2007, 05:47 PM
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Re: Greatest People of All Time
Just to mess with Milobinderbinder I'll add that Kant is one of my favorite physicists, since he refuted Newton's theistic ideas and proposed two very groundbreaking (and solid one might add) theories in astrophysics. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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#57
10-23-2007, 06:13 PM
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Re: Greatest People of All Time
[ QUOTE ]
Russell may have been a very intelligent man, but I never got this quote of his: "Religion is based . . . mainly on fear . . . [/ QUOTE ] Really? Christianity says if you don't do right by God you will suffer eternal torment. God SEES ALL. HE KNOWS WHAT'S IN YOUR HEART! Make the wrong choices and you suffer eternal damnation. You don't get the fear part? Honestly, you would think someone would have to fake being the way you are. I would think a 2nd grader could explain where the fear comes in.
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#59
10-23-2007, 06:23 PM
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Re: Greatest People of All Time
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I've always seen God as a loving indulgent overly patient Father so I don't go around fearing him, but I do respect him. Maybe somebody does fear him since individuals vary. [/ QUOTE ]so there's no reason for us who don't believe to fear being wrong? I agree with you but its not a popular view amongst the christians who post on SMP. chez
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#60
10-23-2007, 06:33 PM
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Re: Greatest People of All Time
[ QUOTE ]
I've always seen God as a loving indulgent overly patient Father so I don't go around fearing him, but I do respect him. Maybe somebody does fear him since individuals vary. [/ QUOTE ] Hey. things we share .. I don't fear him either. Is there some reason I should? luckyme
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