Who Is The Best Philosopher? 16 Thinkers, Ranked – Episode 100
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– VIDEO NOTES
For episode 100 of Within Reason, I’m joined by Joe Folley, from @unsolicitedadvice9198, to tackle a completely arbitrary and ridiculous tournament of thinkers, each of whom are to some degree relevant to the show.
Joe graduated from Cambridge University with an MPhil in Philosophy, specialising in logic, in 2023.
– TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
00:01:20 David Hume vs René Descartes
00:20:52 Plato vs Aristotle
00:30:47 Peter Singer vs Richard Dawkins
00:52:34 Zeno vs Judith Jarvis Thomson
01:14:25 Christopher Hitchens vs Jordan Peterson
01:29:39 Friedrich Nietzsche vs Søren Kierkegaard
01:52:33 Arthur Schopenhauer vs Fyodor Dostoevsky
02:24:26 Thomas Aquinas vs Jesus of Nazareth
02:32:26 Quarter Final 1
02:37:51 Quarter Final 2
02:39:26 Quarter Final 3
02:47:48 Quarter Final 4
02:54:29 Semi Final 1
03:00:08 Semi Final 1.5
03:02:53 Semi Final 2
03:03:43 Winner
– CONNECT
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The Within Reason Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/within-reason/id1458675168
– CONTACT
Business email: contact@alexoconnor.com
——————————————
@unsolicitedadvice9198
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Thank you for having me back on! This was a lot of fun!
I also just realized I misspoke a couple of times. I meant a “semi-Riemannian manifold” and also every (non-trivial) interval of the real number line is uncountably infinite, not every subset (for instance, {1, 2, 3} is a subset of R, but is clearly finite). Sorry about that
@buster9106
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
I’ve heard the Singer point of view about infanticide. I had a severely disabled brother and it was extremely difficult on my family, particularly my parents. It was a very destructive aspect of our family life because of the emotional pain my parents suffered. It had long- negative effects on all of us. I know my parents wished that he hadn’t existed for his sake and for ours. But I don’t think they ever would have been able to have his life ended as a baby.
@erikmagnusson6569
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Why is Jesus considered in this list but not Socrates? Like are the Socratian dialogues not similar to the gospel in the sense that the thinkers ideas only exist retold from other people's perspectives?
@Silver_Is_Money
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Where is Spinoza? Where is Leonard Peikoff?
@kreiderdonny
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
I was enjoying myself at times with this discussion but some of the "contenders" clearly did not meet the description of "philosopher".
@alerity4
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Pretentious claptrap!!
@sylviaowega3839
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
What I know, is that Jesus was a preacher, -not so much a philosopher. He did however, have the proclivity to philosophy.
@bunnealtena3256
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
How about – I think I think therefore I am?
@sylviaowega3839
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
I myself can relate better to Aristotle than Plato
@willieluncheonette5843
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
philosophy is the worst waste of time…it has accomplished nothing. lots of words, however
@daLiraX
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
The drowning child anology is just so pure slave morality at it's finest.
@linnerdclayton7030
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Note: this is not what wisdom looks like and sound like
@willieluncheonette5843
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
" I am reminded of a great German philosopher, Immanuel Kant. He is a specimen of those people who are absolutely in the mind. He lived according to mind so totally that people used to set their watches, whenever they saw Immanuel Kant going to the university. Never — it may rain, it may rain fire, it may rain cats and dogs, it may be utterly cold, snow falling … Whatever the situation, Kant will reach the university at exactly the same time all the year round, even on holidays. Such a fixed, almost mechanical … He would go on holiday at exactly the same time, remain in the university library, which was specially kept open for him, because otherwise what would he do there the whole day? And he was a very prominent, well-known philosopher, and he would leave the university at exactly the same time every day.
One day it happened … It had rained and there was too much mud on the way — one of his shoes got stuck in the mud. He did not stop to take the shoe out because that would make him reach the university a few seconds later, and that was impossible. He left the shoe there. He just arrived with one shoe. The students could not believe it. Somebody asked, “What happened to the other shoe?”
He said, “It got stuck in the mud, so I left it there, knowing perfectly well nobody is going to steal one shoe. When I return in the evening, then I will pick it up. But I could not have been late.”
A woman proposed to him: “I want to be married to you” — a beautiful young woman. Perhaps no woman has ever received such an answer, before or after Immanuel Kant. Either you say, “Yes,” or you say, “No. Excuse me.” Immanuel Kant said, “I will have to do a great deal of research.”
The woman asked, “About what?”
He said, “I will have to look in all the marriage manuals, all the books concerning marriage, and find out all the pros and cons — whether to marry or not to marry.”
The woman could not imagine that this kind of answer had ever been given to any woman before. Even no is acceptable, even yes, although you are getting into a misery, but it is acceptable. But this kind of indifferent attitude towards the woman — he did not say a single sweet word to her. He did not say anything about her beauty, his whole concern was his mind. He had to convince his mind whether or not marriage is logically the right thing.
It took him three years. It was really a long search. Day and night he was working on it, and he had found three hundred reasons against marriage and three hundred reasons for marriage. So the problem even after three years was the same.
One friend suggested out of compassion, “You wasted three years on this stupid research. In three years you would have experienced all these six hundred, without any research. You should have just said yes to that woman. There was no need to do so much hard work. Three years would have given you all the pros and cons — existentially, experientially.”
But Kant said, “I am in a fix. Both are equal, parallel, balanced. There is no way to choose.”
The friend suggested, “Of the pros you have forgotten one thing: that whenever there is a chance, it is better to say yes and go through the experience. That is one thing more in favor of the pros. The cons cannot give you any experience, and only experience has any validity.”
He understood, it was intellectually right. He immediately went to the woman’s house, knocked on her door. Her old father opened the door and said, “Young man, you are too late. You took too long in your research. My girl is married and has two children.” That was the last thing that was ever heard about his marriage. From then on no woman ever asked him, and he was not the kind of man to ask anybody. He remained unmarried."
@willieluncheonette5843
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Diogenes.
"’He used to live naked; he was a very healthy and beautiful man. Even Alexander the Great felt a little jealous. He had everything, but the beauty of Diogenes, his marble-like body, his statue-like firmness….
He was lying one day by the side of the river which was his resting place. Four thieves, whose function was… because in those days almost all over the world man was sold and purchased. Women particularly had a good price, and healthy strong men also had a good price. Slaves were an accepted fact almost all over the world. So these four thieves were engaged in the business of catching hold of people and taking them to the marketplace.
They saw this man and discussed among themselves: “This man will fetch a good price, perhaps the best ever. But he seems to be too strong even for four persons. He will kill us if we try to catch hold of him; he looks dangerous.”
And Diogenes was listening because they were discussing what to do just behind the bushes. Diogenes said, “You idiots! You don’t have to do anything! Just come out! Follow me!”
They said, “But where?”
He said, “To the marketplace where you want to sell me! There is no need to catch hold of me. I am coming on my own. Let this be also an experience. Anyway I am good for nothing.”
The thieves became very afraid seeing the strangeness of the man. “Even to follow him is dangerous; he may turn, or jump and hit somebody.” They kept their distance.
Diogenes said, “Don’t be afraid! Just stay close! Are you taking me to the marketplace or am I taking you?”
With great fear they came close to him. And in the marketplace where people, men and women, were auctioned, Diogenes jumped on the table and shouted at the crowd that had come to purchase people, “Here is a master for sale! Is there any slave who is ready to purchase him?”
There was great silence, the man certainly was a grandeur in himself. Even kings had come to purchase but they had to think twice whether to purchase this man. He could be dangerous, he could be ferocious if he can jump on the table and declare himself, “Here is a master! Is there anyone ready to purchase him?”
Finally one king dared to purchase him, and he said, “To whom is the money to be given?” Diogenes showed those four persons who were hiding in the crowd. “Give the money to these four people. They have brought me here. And bring your chariot closer so I can come in the chariot.”
Now slaves are not supposed to order kings, but even this king felt a weakening of the heart. He told his charioteer to bring the chariot close by. Diogenes jumped on the chariot and sat by the side of the king, and the king was trembling. He had purchased unnecessary trouble. This man can simply take him by the neck and throw him out of the chariot. “Rather than purchasing a slave I have purchased a master; he was right.”
But Diogenes said, “Don’t be afraid; I’m not going to do any of the things that you are thinking. I am a peace-loving man. Let us make an agreement: I shall not disturb you, you should not disturb me.”
The king was very willing. He said “I am absolutely ready, I will not disturb you. You can have a part of the palace, and whatever you need will be provided. But please keep the agreement, don’t disturb me. I am a man with a very weak heart, and you seem to be very dangerous.”
Diogenes said, “Don’t be worried. As far as killing is concerned I am absolutely against it; harassing anybody I am absolutely against. You will find in me a great master; you can learn much. You have purchased the only master who has ever been sold, and I have sold myself. In fact I needed some disciples. Now you, your wife, your brothers, your children, all are my disciples – agreed?!”
In the forest the chariot was moving towards the kingdom. Not to agree with this man was very dangerous because there was only the charioteer and the king, and he was enough for both. So whatever he said the king went on saying, “Yes, absolutely agreed.”
And as they were entering the kingdom, Diogenes jumped out of the chariot, said goodbye to the king and said, “I was just joking! For those four poor men I had to play this role. My river has come. If you want sometime some advice you are welcome. Take note of my address: this river, and do you see that dog?”
He had only one dog as a friend. Because of this dog as a friend, his name became “Diogenes the Cynic.”
The friendship with the dog also came in a very special way. One day he was running towards the river with a begging bowl, just as Buddha had a begging bowl. He was thirsty, but just as he was reaching to the water, a dog came running, overtook him and started drinking the water.
He said, “My God! Why am I carrying this bowl? The dog is in a better position!” He threw the begging bowl in the river and learned the way of drinking water like the dog.
The dog certainly became very friendly to the man, so he invited the dog to share with him whatever he got for food. The dog was his only companion, and he would talk to it.
Even when Alexander was standing by his side, he was making a joke of it. Alexander said, “I’m going to conquer the world.”
Rather than answering him, he looked at the dog and said, “Do you hear? This fellow is going to conquer the world!” Then to Alexander: “Before conquering the world you will be finished. If you are as wise as this dog, you would rest here, because what will you do after conquering the world?”
Alexander had to concede: “After conquering the world I will certainly rest and relax.”
Diogenes said, “Look at my dog, how relaxed! You can come on this side, I have no objection; I don’t possess this river. I don’t know who possesses this river, but we both live here and we welcome you. There is no need to take so much trouble to conquer the world and then rest; why not begin rest now?”
Alexander said, “I can understand your logic, and I am not able to answer it. But now that I have started my journey of conquering, I will have to go and fulfill my desire.”
Diogenes said, “It is up to you, but remember the day you die that I have told you life is very short and the world is very big. Most probably you will die before you have conquered the world.”
And Diogenes was right, Alexander died at the age of only thirty-three, and the last memory in his mind was of Diogenes: “That wise man told it right. Even his dog agreed by waving his tail, ‘You are right. If he wants to rest he should begin now.'”
Diogenes is not historically very much in the line of the great Greek philosophers: Socrates, Pythagoras, Anaxagoras, Plato, Aristotle, Heraclitus. Nobody mentions Diogenes much for the simple reason that he was not a man who took the world seriously.
Somewhere he found a lamp, an old lamp, which somebody may have thrown away. So he lit the lamp and, still with his dog, carried it day and night always lighted even in full daylight and people would say, “It is strange, Diogenes; why are you carrying this lamp in the full sunlight?”
And he would say, “I am in search of an authentic man. Just to see into his eyes, I keep this lamp. Up to now I have failed.”
The day he died in Athens, the dog was sitting by his side and the lamp was there, and somebody asked, “Diogenes, you are dying; can you say something about what happened to the authentic man? Did you find any authentic man?”
And his last words were, “Unfortunately I did not find an authentic man, but fortunately nobody has stolen my lamp; that much I can say in favor of humanity. I am a naked man, I sleep and anybody could have stolen it.” He never took life seriously but lived with as much joy and glory as any buddha."
@A_bug_named_Flik
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Just fuck already 🤣🫶
@Beau321
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
No Chinese or Indian philosophers
@nedkelly8167
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Marx?
@No_Camping
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
I guess FIFA made the draw. The left bracket is so much weaker than the right one.
@Anshumanninja
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Planck length is the smallest possible unit of length, approximately 1.616 x 10⁻³⁵ meters, derived from fundamental physical constants like the speed of light, the Planck constant, and the gravitational constant. It marks the scale at which quantum effects of gravity become significant, causing the known laws of physics, particularly general relativity, to break down and requiring a new theory, such as quantum gravity, to describe the universe.
@nitesh10
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
If quantum field theory which we have strong evidence for is correct, like that leave no room for an afterlife, and by extension, no room for God? I mean like why not use science to answer question of God existence.
@connorduke4619
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Nice concept. You are inexplicably missing Locke, Kant and Bacon though. Locke is surely the #1 British philosopher of all time, many of his thoughts are embedded in the American Declaration of Human Rights. Also Jesus and Aristotle should have been seeded to meet in the final, not earlier.
@mlgfin
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Death row is more expensive than keeping an inmate in prison for life. If you live in a state with the death penalty, that comes out of your taxes. I don’t care about the morality of it, but if you’re gonna take more of my money- I don’t want that. Might sound bad, but idc.
@ochaiogbe1936
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Why would Richard Dawkins be offended if anyone thought of him as a philosopher? I mean philosophy is a noble discipline and activity, right?
@WeinieBoyyy
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Love the video, would have liked Confucius v Lao Tzu
@lepidoptera9337
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
The best philosopher is the silent philosopher.
@gamaste-d2f
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
Here we have a completely average conversation between two absolutely average young British men. This is how British guys shoot the shit so to speak. It’s very different than it is in America.
@fackfackfackfackfack
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
part 2 now (please)! Suggestions: Ayer, Wittgenstein, Russel, Kant, Hegel, Heidegger, Peirce, Marx, Husserl
@sullivan1858
October 6, 2025 at 9:07 am
The Peterson v. Zezek debate is entirely forgotten b/c Zezek did so terrible!!!! Peterson slaughtered him metaphorically speaking.
And honestly, JP ran circles around Daniel Dennet in their interview…..
Comments are closed.