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Post 20

Monday, June 6, 2005 - 5:29amSanction this postReply
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The final shortlist is now up. Sadly, Rand does not appear, although Aristotle and Aquinas are both there. I am tempted to vote for one of them as they are far closer to Rand than the likes of Marx, Descartes etc who also appear on the list. Those who are interested may access audio files at the BBC Radio 4 website (at the above link) for each of the twenty finalists to hear an advocate making the case for each philosopher, and/or vote for their choice.

The eventual winner will be discussed in some detail on the final edition of the current run of In Our Time on Radio 4 in a few weeks.

MH


Post 21

Monday, June 6, 2005 - 8:16amSanction this postReply
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Matthew,
One can only stand agog at some of the candidates that passed the filter.
Heidegger? Popper? Russell?

In the same company as Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, Mill?

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It sounds as if the educational system in the UK is no longer what it once was and is approaching the level of that in the US.


Post 22

Monday, June 6, 2005 - 12:28pmSanction this postReply
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Just voted for Aristotle.

Descartes is way overrated in a poll like this.
Heidegger? Yuck!

The vote should go to someone with the most comprehensive and rational world system. A "Greatest Philosopher" should at least be a world system builder (must have metaphysics). Many on the list are philosophers in circumscribed fields (Mill, Marx, Popper, Russell, Epicurus, etc). It's a wonder Marx is on the list but his intellectual father, Hegel, who was a world system builder, isn't. Not that his system is coherent. Darwin, were he a philosopher, would rate higher than many of these candidates.

Philosophy, with the capital 'P', should be able to encompass all of Science without contradiction, History without embarassment, Language without confusion, and Art without neuroses. Objectivism is a very good start, but still a start. It remains a very long way from what we have now to what ought to be. Perhaps the "Greatest Philosopher" is yet to be born; perhaps 'The One' is among us; perhaps it is you.

Post 23

Monday, June 6, 2005 - 2:37pmSanction this postReply
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Jeff,

I share your surprise at some of the names. Each of the national BBC radio stations has it's own distinct style and focus, and Radio 4 is generally described as "intelligent speech". That's usually accurate...:-\

MH


Post 24

Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - 2:49pmSanction this postReply
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I heard on the radio today that Ayn Rand just missed out on the shortlist.

Oh well :-(


Post 25

Friday, June 17, 2005 - 4:59amSanction this postReply
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In Our Time's host, Melvyn Bragg, on yesterday's show that Marx is currently top of the vote (and also made clear his disdain with this situation). Lets hope Marx doesn't win!

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