Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
I have to ask - what is a great thinker?
Because how you define "great thinker" determines what "subset of great thinkers" you are interested in. An area of thought? A level of fame? Expertise, general or specific?
They may be all around you, but if they don't fit your pigeonhole, you'll never notice them. Don't dismiss the idea - think of all the jokes about the great wise man/woman/other at the top of the inaccessible mountain. Maybe he went there because he determined that nobody was interested in his style of wisdom.
It takes a special kind of person to want to have their mind stretched. unfortunately, in this day and age, fewer and fewer people seem to want to do so...
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"What is a great thinker?" Mmmmm ........
Still thinking through that question, but I just watched an intro to the making of
10 Canoes (Aus flic set in isolated regions of Northern Aus) and realised that the Aboriginal men discussing not only if they wanted a film made with an Aboriginal theme, but what the theme should be, was a really 'great' conversation.
The movie started as an idea between the actor Gulpilil and the producer Rolf de Heer. Over a period of time insitu at various northern remote sites, they discussed whether a movie could be made and what it should be about.
The thinking was circular, spoken in low tones and conceptually far reaching. Essentially they tried to identify/assess how the traditional culture of that area could be represented in a way that did not demean the culture, the individuals, the belief systems or the appearance of locals or the actors brought in to fill specific roles.
They wanted their cultural norms to be treated respectfully, not just now - but in any future timeframe.
So, I think that great thinking has an element of time and place, of sharing an idea/s in a way that is understandable to the immediate audience and is of a quality that endures.
Actually, as questions go - I think I'll be thinking about 'what is great thinking' for some time ....
