Favorite Philosophers

[Anodyne]

I pretty much dig all the British philosophers from the late 18th century.

I don't like German philosophers from any era, but I understand why they're appreciated in academia. The Brits are very straight to the point, and so you can't play with their words as much. German are the opposite. In otherwords, they're very ambiguous.

In modern times, I enjoy Ayn Rand.
youtube.com/watch?v=1xKGZMwaIG8

[ndrthl]

Marcus Aurelius, Rene Descartes, Blaise Pascal.

[whateva]

Aristotle above all!

I also have increasingly taken a liking to stoic philosophy.

C.S. Lewis and Julius Evola are two others I could mention.

[tyrannos]

Dont know were the link is,but I remember there was a quiz once posted to find out who is your favorite Philosopher .

[atessalev]

If i had to narrow it down, i'd say Kierkegaard and Rumi. I don't seem to take interest in many of the ancient philosophers, and i hated Plato with a passion.

[Anodyne]

I cna understand why anyone would dislike Plato. Modern day authoritarian societies tend to be based on Plato's principles.

[whateva]

Atessalev:

Why didn't you like Plato? Was he just boring? Or didn't you like his views?

[whateva]

ayndostoy said:

I cna understand why anyone would dislike Plato. Modern day authoritarian societies tend to be based on Plato's principles.

You gotta be kidding me! Arranged matings, mass murder on weak people in society, children who are taken away from their parents to be educated by the state, an elite warrior class as highest strata of society. It's the shit!

Or perhaps I'm being uncritical because I wan't a philosopher king! I will be king! Stick with me and you'll never grow hungry again! ;D

[drooperdoo]

I love Plato--or, rather, Socrates. Because everything Plato wrote, he claimed to have come from his teacher, Socrates.

In any case, the dialogues are masterpieces--thought-provoking and compelling. "The Republic," to my mind, is less successful. Nevertheless, it's agenda was actually implemented by some Tyrant of Sicily. What was his name again? Dionysus the First? Something like that.

In any case, it was a disaster, lol.

* All I took away from the book was his analysis of nation-states, and how he said that democracies always decay into dictatorships. So far--in history--there have been precious few examples to hold up as a contradiction to his axiom.

[tyrannos]

You guys should also look up Gorgias
of Sicily. Rhetoric was born in Sicily.

[tyrannos]

drooperdoo said:

I love Plato--or, rather, Socrates. Because everything Plato wrote, he claimed to have come from his teacher, Socrates.

In any case, the dialogues are masterpieces--thought-provoking and compelling. "The Republic," to my mind, is less successful. Nevertheless, it's agenda was actually implemented by some Tyrant of Sicily. What was his name again? Dionysus the First? Something like that.

In any case, it was a disaster, lol.

* All I took away from the book was his analysis of nation-states, and how he said that democracies always decay into dictatorships. So far--in history--there have been precious few examples to hold up as a contradiction to his axiom.

Tyrants and Dictator's were actually respected and often positive in the ancient world. The negative association would come in modern times.

Dionysius was able to unite all the Sicilians,both Greek speaking and non-Greek speaking,he fortified free Sicilians cities with some of the most advanced innovations in military history and would later mount a counter attack which would drive the Carthaginians from Sicily entirely . The island of Moyta off the coast of Sicily ,was a major military base for the Carthaginians, with walls as high as a six-story building,some parts even higher and 19 feet thick. After Dionysius took it,the island would never again be used. That's the devastation the Sicilians left. They hated Carthaginians as much as the Roman's would later. He also crucified the Greek mercenaries working with the Punic's.

[heathenblood]

Aristotle, Nietzsche, Sun Tzu