Go back
Greatest of all time

Greatest of all time

General

Ponderable
chemist

Linkenheim

Joined
22 Apr 05
Moves
669875
Clock
31 Oct 17

I notice that there is a tendency tothis superlative.
But in reality we only can see the past, so "of all time" can' really be applied to anything.

Same with "best in universe" we only know about a speck...

Why need people to claim the very extreme? (Not reffering to the greatest leader of all time here)

moonbus
Über-Nerd (emeritus)

Joined
31 May 12
Moves
8703
Clock
31 Oct 17

People have a natural tendency to compare things. Comparisons lead to rankings. Rankings lead to a high-end and a low-end. The high-end is by definition the 'greatest.' Mohammed Ali proclaimed, "I am the greatest," and, for a time, he was -- but he was surpassed by others who came after him. Occasionally, an achievement becomes so well established at the pinnacle of its kind, that it comes to be regarded as the benchmark of its kind, as something unsurpassable. Shakespeare, for example, is commonly regarded as the greatest playwright of all time; no one has equalled, much less surpassed, him, and it is hard to imagine anyone ever doing so.

wolfgang59
Quiz Master

RHP Arms

Joined
09 Jun 07
Moves
48794
Clock
31 Oct 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by @ponderable
I notice that there is a tendency tothis superlative.
But in reality we only can see the past, so "of all time" can' really be applied to anything.

Same with "best in universe" we only know about a speck...

Why need people to claim the very extreme? (Not reffering to the greatest leader of all time here)
Hyperbole of course.
The greatest exponent of all time in the whole universe being Mr Trump. 😉

moonbus
Über-Nerd (emeritus)

Joined
31 May 12
Moves
8703
Clock
31 Oct 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by @wolfgang59
Hyperbole of course.
The greatest exponent of all time in the whole universe being Mr Trump. 😉
The greatest exponent of self-adulation he is. Harrumpf.

Great Big Stees

Joined
14 Mar 04
Moves
186286
Clock
31 Oct 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

This subject reminds me of a joke. A vacationer was driving through a small town in northeast Maine. He was "lost" so he stopped at a home where he found an older gentleman sitting on his porch. He approached the man and asked for directions to the nearest highway. The man thought for a moment and finally said "I have no idea,"Not yet". never seen one". The traveler then asked if the gentleman had lived all his life here to which he responded..."Not yet". Greatest of all time? "All time" has yet to happen.

moonbus
Über-Nerd (emeritus)

Joined
31 May 12
Moves
8703
Clock
31 Oct 17

Originally posted by @great-big-stees
?.. "All time" has yet to happen.
And it probably never will.

Ponderable
chemist

Linkenheim

Joined
22 Apr 05
Moves
669875
Clock
31 Oct 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

Two great posts full of philosophical insight.

So what is time anyway?

s
Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined
28 Dec 04
Moves
53321
Clock
31 Oct 17
1 edit

Originally posted by @ponderable
I notice that there is a tendency tothis superlative.
But in reality we only can see the past, so "of all time" can' really be applied to anything.

Same with "best in universe" we only know about a speck...

Why need people to claim the very extreme? (Not reffering to the greatest leader of all time here)
That's like the Miss Universe contest. Invariably a woman from Earth keeps winning......I say it's rigged.

moonbus
Über-Nerd (emeritus)

Joined
31 May 12
Moves
8703
Clock
31 Oct 17
3 edits

Originally posted by @ponderable
Two great posts full of philosophical insight.

So what is time anyway?
Time is the framework wherein processes have beginnings, middles, and ends. Therefore time had no beginning and will have no end; beginnings and ends apply only to processes in time, not to time itself; so, in a sense, time is timeless. Time is the metric of change, and is therefore itself changeless.

Space is the board on which the chess pieces move; it is not a move in the game, but is the framework wherein (or on) the game takes place. Time is the 'other' framework whereby moves in the game are limited and through which plans and strategies are developed and modified, brought to fruition or shattered.

moonbus
Über-Nerd (emeritus)

Joined
31 May 12
Moves
8703
Clock
31 Oct 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by @sonhouse
That's like the Miss Universe contest. Invariably a woman from Earth keeps winning......I say it's rigged.
Not always the same woman.

MontyMoose

New Braunfels, Texas

Joined
22 Aug 07
Moves
72297
Clock
01 Nov 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by @sonhouse
That's like the Miss Universe contest. Invariably a woman from Earth keeps winning......I say it's rigged.
Well, the Mars gold standard of female beauty is 300 kilos and six arms. And don't get me started on Uranus.

MontyMoose

New Braunfels, Texas

Joined
22 Aug 07
Moves
72297
Clock
01 Nov 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by @moonbus
[b]Time is the framework...
That is actually pretty good. Thumbs up.

HandyAndy
Read a book!

Joined
23 Sep 06
Moves
18677
Clock
01 Nov 17

Originally posted by @montymoose
Well, the Mars gold standard of female beauty is 300 kilos and six arms. And don't get me started on Uranus.
Leave that for Kevin Spacey.

MontyMoose

New Braunfels, Texas

Joined
22 Aug 07
Moves
72297
Clock
01 Nov 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

House of Cards is going to be auditing your tax returns. 🙂

ka
The Axe man

Brisbane,QLD

Joined
11 Apr 09
Moves
103369
Clock
01 Nov 17
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by @moonbus
People have a natural tendency to compare things. Comparisons lead to rankings. Rankings lead to a high-end and a low-end. The high-end is by definition the 'greatest.' Mohammed Ali proclaimed, "I am the greatest," and, for a time, he was -- but he was surpassed by others who came after him. Occasionally, an achievement becomes so well established at the pi ...[text shortened]... ; no one has equalled, much less surpassed, him, and it is hard to imagine anyone ever doing so.
Don Bradman

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.