If you could bring one person from the past into modern times, who would you choose?
06-04-2009, 10:07 PM
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This strikes me as a very subjective statement which can't be substantiated; Da Vinci was an inventor and an artist, Einstein was a physicist and a humanitarian. Comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges.
And didn't you study physics of some kind for a while? I seem to recall you having more than a passing interest in it -- I'd expect this kind of comment from someone who doesn't really have any knowledge of physics.
If anything, Einstein is under-appreciated by the world at large, as evidenced by these posts.
We'd have that now if the auto industry weren't in collusion with the oil industry.
Yeah, I almost got my degree in physics. I respect Einstein and he was a very brilliant man, but look at it this way... Da Vinci was from the 1500's, physics didn't even really exist back then compared to where it was in Einsteins time.
Da Vinci is a brilliant man of many capabilities, imagine if he were versed with modern day physics and what he could do to further the subject. That's all I meant. In Da Vinci's day, E=MC^2 wasn't even a gleam in anyone's eye, he was just trapped in the wrong time for him to fulfill his maximum capacity of greatness.
You're right, they were apples vs oranges, but overall Da Vinci was more brilliant because he was so much more rounded and could do anything if he put his mind to it. He was more then an inventor and artist. I studied him in great detail in college and he blew me away far more then Einstein did, not knocking Einstein, he's still a super brilliant man, smarter then da vinci in physics, however not so much in other fields, I never said that da vinci was a better physicist, I just said he was more brilliant overall, which he was. Imagine what he'd be capable of if he was born in moder times with all the tools of modern day? That's all I meant.
I have a framed photo of Einstein in my office, along with a posted of Da Vinci's work (a collage). They are both great, but da vinci just blows me away far more then einstein even did.
You're right, apples to oranges, but think about it this way, would you rather excel greatly in one field, or would you rather excel in anything you put your mind to? Da vinci was brilliant in math, art, physics for his time, inventing things based off math and physics... Imagine if somehow he were given the internet in his time!? Things would be much different for us today, I can tell you that much.
Sorry for the grammar, Im on my phone and Im too lazy to go back and fix anything.
06-06-2009, 10:17 AM
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06-06-2009, 12:32 PM
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Totally selfish response: My mom. She was killed by a drunk driver when I was a kid, and I heard she was a great person. My dad is my friend, and I would love that relationship with my mother.
06-07-2009, 10:32 AM
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Ben Franklin is my second choice, a real genius, but a serious womanizer too. He was a free thinker, a clear thinker, and would fit into today's society without having to learn all of the new technology.
I think my first choice would be...drum roll...someone you've probably only heard of, but not known what he did/was, Lord Byron. Not a scientist, but someone again, who could walk out today and begin writing, living etc., with a minimum of help to understand our culture...A poet, he LIVED life, and probably never came close to achieving his potential, I think he would do better in today's society than in yesterdays.
I fear that to bring back the old science geniuses, they would be at a loss to understand what we are doing today...with the exception of Einstein (my 3rd choice to bring back as a teenager so he could catch up), who really revolutionized Physics in the 1920's, and was working until nearly the day he died at Berkeley...all the others would be lost in today's world. Most of the science superminds of the past, including Einstein, did all of their great works in their early to mid 20's...so at what age would you bring them back?
I think my first choice would be...drum roll...someone you've probably only heard of, but not known what he did/was, Lord Byron. Not a scientist, but someone again, who could walk out today and begin writing, living etc., with a minimum of help to understand our culture...A poet, he LIVED life, and probably never came close to achieving his potential, I think he would do better in today's society than in yesterdays.
I fear that to bring back the old science geniuses, they would be at a loss to understand what we are doing today...with the exception of Einstein (my 3rd choice to bring back as a teenager so he could catch up), who really revolutionized Physics in the 1920's, and was working until nearly the day he died at Berkeley...all the others would be lost in today's world. Most of the science superminds of the past, including Einstein, did all of their great works in their early to mid 20's...so at what age would you bring them back?
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