Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:55 am**

s@int wrote:The thing is though what has Da Vinci ever done for you? He invented a lot of things but most of them never saw fruition.

Do you really want me to quote the YouTube one about the Romans? (Monty Python),

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:59 am**

I'm not saying he wasn't a genius and "great" mate, just that if you are trying to decide who is the greatest person ever I think we should be seeing some benefit from their "greatness" if you know what I mean?

Newton discovered gravity and now we no longer fall off the earth when we let go, what did Da Vinci do that has an effect on us today apart from his art?

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:07 am**

Ah, s@int, that's where the "greatness" divide gets blurred.

So, if a fella "invented" all sorts of things 300 years ago, but they weren't acted upon, are we
to say they weren't "great"? Becuaue his "thinking" had no affect on the people of the time?

C'mon - a time period in which an "invention" was conceived should have no bearing on it's greatness.

So, a bloke who "theoretically" invents the hovercraft 300 years before his time is not great?

Sorry, but I don't buy into that.
He worked out the theory and the how's and why's - he knew engineering at the time could not support it.
What he was saying was, these things are more a reality than we think.
He devised how and why we could invent these things.

So s@int, if you "invented" a time machine now - but was only proved right 300 yers later -
are you telling me you wouldn't deserve any praise?

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:16 am**

I invented or thought up the idea of shutter blinds for shop windows years before they were ever used (I actually thought of them for home use but its on the same lines)

Why should I receive credit when someone else invented them independently years later, seperately developed them and put them into use?

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:27 am**

s@int wrote:I invented or thought up the idea of shutter blinds for shop windows years before they were ever used (I actually thought of them for home use but its on the same lines)

Why should I receive credit when someone else invented them independently years later, seperately developed them and put them into use?

You're wasted on here.
How about shutters for General Chat?

Off to bed.

I'd like to hear from anyone who thinks they know of anyone who beats Da Vinci after reading my posts.

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:18 am**

What a great idea for a thread.

This is hard but i think i would have to go for Alexander Fleming (the discovery penicillin )

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:25 am**

its hard to prove empirically that da vinci's ideas had no effect on the modern day versions of his inventions. once and idea is out there its very hard to put away again - even though the church had a good go at it in the 15th and 16th centuries. actually many of his ideas have had a significant effect on the development of our modern way of life and technology. i would be surprised if there is any scientist, inventor or artist who is not aware of the works of da vinci and who hasn't been heavily influenced and inspired by the things that he has done.

as to who is the greatest - man, thats so difficult. there are so many areas that have affected our lives on the scientific, social, artistic and political levels and its hard to say which has more value (though i'm certain that many will discount art straight away...).

personally i'm a big fan of harry houdini

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:32 am**

Greatest person ever? My mum

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:59 am**

Well modesty forbids but as for second greatest person Da Vinci

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:05 am**

Greatest person? Easy, kylie minogue.

there, i think you can lock this thread now, matter closed :nod

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:12 am**

Jack Bauer

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:19 am**

how about the chinese guy that invented the concept of paper money thousand years before sweden brought it to europe? or the chinese guy that invented the concept of money/currency in the first place (cowries, if my school days memory are accurate) about 1500 bc

Says a lot for our western arrogance that we don't even know the guy's name.

this improved everybodies life for thousands of years.

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:06 pm**

It's tricky cos most of the 'Greats' from history are particular their respective fields! Its a bit of a wild one but I would like to put forward Socrates (the philosopher not the footy player who smoked 80 a day and was a Dr. and played for Brazil) the father of debate who influenced all to question everything further and not take things on face value. Socrates had a great influence on Plato who founded the Academy of Athens which essentially was the first sort of education establishment. We owe a great deal to the Greeks in this regard and Socrates was the man who challenged prescribed ways of thinking which were holding back human development.

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:15 pm**

Big Niall wrote:Says a lot for our western arrogance that we don't even know the guy's name.

giz sum dosh

Posted: **Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:09 pm**

loopyliverpool wrote:It's tricky cos most of the 'Greats' from history are particular their respective fields! Its a bit of a wild one but I would like to put forward Socrates (the philosopher not the footy player who smoked 80 a day and was a Dr. and played for Brazil) the father of debate who influenced all to question everything further and not take things on face value. Socrates had a great influence on Plato who founded the Academy of Athens which essentially was the first sort of education establishment. We owe a great deal to the Greeks in this regard and Socrates was the man who challenged prescribed ways of thinking which were holding back human development.

definately a contender. "thinking" as opposed to following became a virtue.