Criminals are pretty smart. Not like the average thief. But I'm talking about those guys who steal large sums of money under the nose of say the government. It takes alot of brains/skills to pull off such a feat. Or, a criminal that is able to murder so many people without being caught.

 

 

 

Although, if you want a morally 'correct' answer. Sigmund Freud perhaps.

Criminals are pretty smart. Not like the average thief. But I'm talking about those guys who steal large sums of money under the nose of say the government. It takes alot of brains/skills to pull off such a feat. Or, a criminal that is able to murder so many people without being caught.

 

 

 

Although, if you want a morally 'correct' answer. Sigmund Freud perhaps.

I hope you realize that there are more intelligent people who could be better criminals than those currently out there, it's just they choose not to.

Statistically, it's improbable to say that the smartest person has shown their presence before.

 

Yes.

 

ITT: people naming influential people

Sir Issac Newton or Einstein. I think maybe more Newton because he had such little to work off of. The Three Laws were quite something, since it all happened from a falling apple, or so it was rumored. But then again, Newton had things to experiment with. Einstein had to do all theory and mathematics to figure out his Theory of Relativity. He was able to find out E=mc^2. Pretty good for a 20th century scientist.

If you think about it, Jesus is definately up there. If he was the son of god he would have been infinately intelligent etc... And if he was just a normal man, he was smart enough to con millions, billions into basing a religion after him. I dont see eintein having his own religion :)

 

 

 

Einsteinism :^o :roll: \ :wall:

If you think about it, Jesus is definately up there. If he was the son of god he would have been infinately intelligent etc... And if he was just a normal man, he was smart enough to con millions, billions into basing a religion after him. I dont see eintein having his own religion :)

 

 

 

Einsteinism :^o :roll: \ :wall:

 

 

 

I would point out that Einstein didnt believe in a personal god, so of course a religion wouldnt form around him.

 

 

 

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein

 

 

 

page actually is a great read.

Statistically, it's improbable to say that the smartest person has shown their presence before.

 

Yes.

 

ITT: people naming influential people

 

Read: William James Sidis. Again.

Karl Marx

Although, if you want a morally 'correct' answer. Sigmund Freud perhaps.

 

 

 

An obsession with sex is morally correct? :shock:

Although, if you want a morally 'correct' answer. Sigmund Freud perhaps.

 

 

 

An obsession with sex is morally correct? :shock:

 

 

 

Not to mention he was a massive coke head. Not that there's anything wrong with coke or sex.

Ken Jennings! :thumbsup:

I'm surprised an anime fan hasn't popped up yet and said L :-# .

 

 

 

In my mind, the smartest would have to be Galileo.

Although, if you want a morally 'correct' answer. Sigmund Freud perhaps.

 

 

 

An obsession with sex is morally correct? :shock:

 

 

 

Not to mention he was a massive coke head. Not that there's anything wrong with coke or sex.

 

 

 

There isn't anything wrong with sex and coke. I consider it to be healthy.

Ken Jennings! :thumbsup:

 

 

 

I don't know... Game shows always have the potential to be rigged so that's not a very solid reason to think he's the smartest person on earth. I think if Ken really was the smartest man, we would have seen him make great social contributions but I only know him as the man from Jeopardy.

I've read plenty of essays by Stephen Hawking, the so-called 'smartest man in the world' and I must admit he has immense knowledge in the subjects he talks about. He fully understands the complexity of the universe and the various natural laws that govern it.

 

 

 

I'm still leaning strongly towards this theory (if you don't like Wikipedia just read the sources, they give a better picture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_ ... elligences )

 

 

 

Basically the theory proposes there isn't a single kind of measurable intelligence; There are multiple. Hawking for example could have limited social or musical intelligence, but have immense intelligence in solving math puzzles, science, etc., judging by the evidence (and IMO, common sense) it seems like an accurate theory.

 

 

 

The standard IQ test and affiliated mathematical tests such as the 48x Raven Matrices designed for math geniuses don't necessarily portray the person's intelligence accurately, nor does it reveal how complex and deep understanding the person actually has of the subject. I'd never make the grave mistake and judge a person based on few limited factors such as an IQ test result, a small musical sample, etc... Because a person's overall intelligence factor is based on many other things as well.

Ken Jennings! :thumbsup:

 

 

 

I don't know... Game shows always have the potential to be rigged so that's not a very solid reason to think he's the smartest person on earth. I think if Ken really was the smartest man, we would have seen him make great social contributions but I only know him as the man from Jeopardy.

 

 

 

Hehe, probably not the smartest person ever. He did donate a ton of the money he won to charity so he's thumbs up in my book.

Not to mention he was a massive coke head. Not that there's anything wrong with coke or sex.

 

 

 

And mother issues :lol:

 

 

 

@ bluelancer - another point to add to your last paragraph - not to mention IQ tests are incredibly, culturally biased.

 

 

 

He learned that from Gandhi

 

 

 

Another person I think the world of. But I guess in the retrospect of things that's more or less the point that I'm getting at - generally speaking on behalf of those who stood up and had something to say to help the world become a better/ more peaceful place to live. For example someone who now pops to mind is Ekhart Tolle.

 

 

 

Do you know what this thread reminds me of? Does anyone remember those glow in the dark looney tunes time warp tazo's back in the day where they had all these types of famous people?? I'm going to try find a picture of them all.

 

 

 

edit:

 

 

 

http://spakatak.com/tazos/aus/tazosset07.htm

I was thinking perhaps Socrates for his contributions to philosophy, or one of the brilliant ancient greek mathematicians like Archimedes.

Bill gates, by far. He's a self made millionaire whose a harvard dropout, his net worth is somewhere around 58 billion dollars

Bill gates, by far. He's a self made millionaire whose a harvard dropout, his net worth is somewhere around 58 billion dollars

 

 

 

Bill Gates was a swindler, not a genius.

Bill Gates got lucky in hitting the market at the right time. Microsoft isn't uniquely well designed software, but it's managed to become an almost monopoly through timing and aggressive business strategy. Gates is smart, but no genius.

No one has said Charles Darwin yet?

 

 

 

My top four:

 

 

 

1) Einstein (he's popular for a reason)

 

2) Benjamin Franklin (not a president AND on the $100 bill?) And yes I know, lots of other reasons.

 

3) Charles Darwin

 

4) Al Gore

Bill gates, by far. He's a self made millionaire whose a harvard dropout, his net worth is somewhere around 58 billion dollars

 

 

 

Bill Gates was a swindler, not a genius.

 

 

 

 

 

Could you define swindler and possibly give a few examples?

No one has said Charles Darwin yet?

 

 

 

My top four:

 

 

 

1) Einstein (he's popular for a reason)

 

2) Benjamin Franklin (not a president AND on the $100 bill?) And yes I know, lots of other reasons.

 

3) Charles Darwin

 

4) Al Gore

 

ew, why al gore?

No one has said Charles Darwin yet?

 

 

 

My top four:

 

 

 

1) Einstein (he's popular for a reason)

 

2) Benjamin Franklin (not a president AND on the $100 bill?) And yes I know, lots of other reasons.

 

3) Charles Darwin

 

4) Al Gore

 

ew, why al gore?

 

 

 

For all the previously stated reasons.