Who would you rank as the top public intellectual?
Posted by: Consciousmess on 10 February 2012
Now, to me that is an interesting question as I have found the diversity of people on the Naim forum to be pretty big. Of course there is the common denominator of all of us as that is why we read and post 'here', but I am curious as to the answer you put for this thread's question??
Regards,
Jon
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Christopher_M
Jon, a fairly difficult question in the UK, no
Amidst all the nominations that will inevitably flood in for AC Grayling, John Gray, Francis Fukuyama, Roger Scruton and Eric Cantona, I nominate the one that's affected me personally the most... Michael Ignatieff, for his idea of 'a three minute culture' c1989.
Will we hear of yours Jon?
Chris
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by droodzilla
Based purely on profile, I guess Dawkins fits the bill. Then there's the Late Review crew - Germaine Greer and John Carey, for example.
I'm not sure I have a favourite but hearing Will Self on Question Time a while ago lifted my spirits.
Scruton is a serious philosopher who doesn't automatically discount everything pre-Frege but his politics suck.
If we include pseudo-intellectuals, Alain de Boton is a clear winner.
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Bruce Woodhouse
For the purposes of this thread an 'intellectual' appears to be a job description in itself, one which includes having a public profile. I guess Jonathan Miller would be my suggestion not least because of the variety of areas in which he has excelled.
I could nominate people from my field who have made major contributions but they would be unknown to others I suspect. Perhaps too busy to be famous.
Bruce
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Officer DBL
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by count.d
Adam Meredith or Jeremy Vine. They may even know each other.
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Mike Smiff
Stephen Fry? may be he is a little too whimsical, think I will second Germaine Greer.
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Michael_B.
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Don Atkinson
"Public" intellectual suggests a generalised intellectual as opposed to someone aligned with a specialist subject.
On this basis the first person that came to mind was Jeremy Paxman.
And even after 5 minutes of musing, I haven't come up with an alternative.
Cheers
Don
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by GraemeH
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by winkyincanada
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Jono 13
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Quad 33
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by JamieWednesday
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by GraemeH
Originally Posted by Jono 13:
+1
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by graham55
Jonathan Sumption, just appointed to the Supreme Court.
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by JWM
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Jet Johnson
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by Fabio 1
Originally Posted by Quad 33:
+1."My life in the bush of ghosts".
Posted on: 10 February 2012 by TomK
Sheldon Cooper. Failing that Stephen Hawking or Stephen Fry.
I've also loved virtually everything Clive James has written.
Posted on: 11 February 2012 by Willy
Originally Posted by GraemeH:
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Originally Posted by Jono 13:
+1
+2
Posted on: 11 February 2012 by Christopher_M
Nothing from you yet Consciousmess Jon? Maybe you think it's enough to lob a pebble into the pool and watch the ripples spread . IMO it's not!
Chris
Posted on: 11 February 2012 by Purity of Essence
Originally Posted by GraemeH:
Originally Posted by Jono 13:
+1
- 1
Particularly in his present guise as the Peter Mayle of Bizarro World.
J'en ai marre de ce con et de ses bobards.
(mais j'aime vachement les Smiths)
Posted on: 11 February 2012 by MAKS
Posted on: 11 February 2012 by Chief Chirpa
Martin Amis
Posted on: 11 February 2012 by George Fredrik
The trouble with this is that the probably brightest and best - though I am in no position to assess their relative merits - intellectuals are probably not the ones most interested in the lime-light of media exposure before the public.
But even in their "ivory towers" the less media orientated current days genii are still public figures in respect of published papers, lecturing in Universities, and working on advancing everything from Physics to Philosophy.
I no longer move in circles where I often meet such people, and so am stuck for an answer for my favourite.
But from the media perspective I am am going to vote for Brian Cox, or Steven Hawking. I have no idea how history will judge their brilliance, but for now, they seem to have great things to offer.
ATB from George
