Twenty-First Anniversary Survey

[Philosophy Now]

http://philosophynow.org/issues/93/Twen ... ary_Survey

[Bernard]

Very Western result.

My five
Jesus,
Buddha,
Kahlil Gibran,
Francis of Assissi,
Nietzsche.

Some or all of these won't seem to be philosphers to some. Philosophy over millenia has somehow been conjoined with rational wisdom. For me this is an error, philosophy belongs as much to the right side of the brain as it does to the left. And the best thinkers have balanced the two arenas of their minds.

[HughKnows]

That is a fascinating survey. Regarding the first question, though, I wonder how Aristotle managed to top the poll of "historical" philosophers? This isn't the Middle Ages! Is there a sort of conventional piety among academic philosophers that makes them feel they have to nod respect to Aristotle even when they don't personally study his ideas and feel his philosophical pull only indirectly, via more recent thinkers?

I know a lot of contemporary thinkers (like Martha Nussbaum) genuinely are directly influenced by reading Aristotle, but I'd be amazed if it was as many as this poll suggests.

[Bernard]

That surprised me a bit as well, but one needs to bear in mind that Aristotle was much the more accessible form of Plato and Socrates in that he transforms their basic ideas into concrete applications.

[chaz wyman]

The living Phils are are bit disappointing, esp Saul Kripke.

And where's Mary Midglely?