Most influential scientists today

  • 7 Replies
  • 1674 Views
*

beast

  • 2997
Most influential scientists today
« on: March 07, 2007, 04:58:26 AM »
Who do you think are the most influential scientists today?  Here is my list, in order of influence, although I'm sure I'd change my order every time I went through the list :P.

1. Richard Dawkins

2. Stephen Hawking

3. David Suzuki

4. Marc Hauser

5. Jared Diamond

6. Francis Collins

7. Stephen Pinker

8. Ian Frazer

9. Brian Greene

10. Paul Davies


*

James

  • Flat Earther
  • The Elder Ones
  • 5613
Re: Most influential scientists today
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2007, 05:33:54 AM »
Richard Dawkins is a philosopher, not strictly a scientist.
"For your own sake, as well as for that of our beloved country, be bold and firm against error and evil of every kind." - David Wardlaw Scott, Terra Firma 1901

*

unclegravy

  • 957
  • I feel so fucking high!!!!!!
Re: Most influential scientists today
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2007, 05:45:12 AM »
Then again, Stephen Hawking is also sometimes considered a Philosopher. I can't see why someone can't be both.
Quote
The people who feast on exclamation marks will never go hungry agaaaain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*

beast

  • 2997
Re: Most influential scientists today
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2007, 06:00:16 AM »
Richard Dawkins is a philosopher, not strictly a scientist.

Not according to his wikipedia entry and his personal website;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dawkins
http://richarddawkins.net/home

Indeed, his biography at "Edge" also clearly states that he is a scientist and does not mention philosophy.

http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bios/dawkins.html

When you consider that of his 9 published books, 8 would have to be considered books about science and only 1 could be considered to be about philosophy (although from a scientific perspective), I would tend to call him a scientist.

I did not include a few people because they definitely are philosophers and not scientists; Daniel Dennett and Peter Singer.  I also didn't include Noam Chomsky because I didn't want to get into a debate about if he is a scientist or not.  He certainly uses scientific method anyway, although you could also very easily argue that his influence is as a political analyst and not his more scientific work.

?

cadmium_blimp

  • 1499
  • funny, you thought I'd convert, didn't you?
Re: Most influential scientists today
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2007, 06:06:57 AM »
Who says the titles 'philosopher' and 'scientist' are mutually exclusive?  What about Archimedes?  What about Descartes?  Galileo?  Pythagoras?

Quote from: Commander Taggart
Never give up, never surrender!

Re: Most influential scientists today
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2007, 08:01:08 AM »
you forgot George W. Bush.

?

Nomad

  • Official Member
  • 16983
Re: Most influential scientists today
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2007, 09:43:12 AM »
Richard Dawkins is a philosopher, not strictly a scientist.

Yeah, he's a zoologist.  He's not a master of evolution by being a philosopher.

I think Steven Weinberg deserves a very hearty mention on your list there, Beast.  He's about the only person I can think to add on there.
Nomad is a superhero.

8/30 NEVAR FORGET

?

Ubuntu

  • 2392
Re: Most influential scientists today
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2007, 05:22:37 PM »
I think science and philosophy are essentially the same thing. The principles of both are identical; the only difference is in how they are practiced. Philosophy could be called a science and science a philosophy. I don't know why we have a different word for each but not a word for both.