“Polymath” is a long lost term that is no longer used that is defined as the following:
The term comes from the Greek “polymathós” which means "one who knows many things", and is often likened to what has come to be called the 'Renaissance man'. A great example would be Leonardo Da Vinci, who is historically accepted to be one of the greatest, if no the greatest Polymath in human history. These highly educated, self-educated, or born geniuses were individuals whose knowledge spans many different subjects, and were known to draw on their complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems or provide quantum leaps in mankind’s understanding of the forces of the world and the universe that change the course of history. Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato were polymaths, as were Sir Isaac Newton and the German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz, who is famous for being arguably the last polymath in history, as well as for being, along Descartes and Spinoza, one of the three great representatives of early modern rationalism. After many years of controversy, he was, posthumously of course, finally recognized as the co-inventor of calculus, totally independently of any knowledge of Newton’s work, and had discovered the “f” function, which was the key to unlocking calculus’ full potential. America’s best example would be Ben Franklin, whose knowledge was so vast that to this day, we are discovering new aspects of Franklin’s genius that we are affected by as of 2024. However, most historians agree Franklin’s greatest achievement was his celebrity status in France he earned by indulging in the pleasures of sin and debauchery as a guest at the royal Court of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, essentially screwing his way through the women of the French aristocracy at court as subversive strategy to gain the essential support of the French at the very beginning of the American Revolution, even rumored to have seduced and bewitched Marie Antoinette herself. As a result, the French sent the Colonists Generals as advisors, 15,000 soldiers from the very seasoned French Army, and a significant portion of the French Navy, who showed up just in time to blockade Cornwallis from escape by sea from Yorktown, leading to his total surrender of his army to Washington, and was the inflection point for the end of English opposition to the American Revolution. In total cost, France spent 64 million dollars in the 1778-1780 era, money that ultimately bankrupted the monarchy and led to both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette being guillotined shortly after the French Revolution in 1793. The fact that Congress never paid a single cent back to the French was a huge point of contention between the 2 countries until WWI and WWII where we paid the outstanding balance back with interest saving their asses TWICE in the 20th century with rivers of American blood.
Since the 18th century, the need for polymaths died out as the “specialist” in a particular field emerged alongside the proliferation of literacy and education, all of which made the polymath a relic of the past and unnecessary in the brave new world. It’s unfortunate, as I believe we could use a DaVinci right now, or the male slut political brilliance of Ben Franklin who used his bacchanalian lifestyle as a strategic weapon in the delicate art of diplomacy. It’s even more impressive as Franklin was in the last years of middle age and definitely not a good looking man at the time. He must have been born with the devil’s tongue and the stamina of a Bull in order to pull off what he did in the French Royal court. Guess old Ben didn’t need BlueChew..lol.
So since we all have pretty impressive brain pans here, I thought I’d start a thread to salute the Polymaths of our past that without their contributions, we still could be living like the Amish do on a global level. The rules are you must post a fact or very strong take on Michigan Football or any other topic in the tradition of the Polymaths I’m choosing to celebrate today. I’ll give you 3 different topic facts and you guys can take it from there.
Michigan Football Fact: I have been to enough other campuses to know for a FACT that there is no other game day experience that comes close to Football Saturdays in Ann Arbor and especially the atmosphere on Main as you get close to the stadium, on the huge parking areas on the golf course, at Pioneer, and the hundreds of smaller tailgating spots around the Big House. As far as the tradition, pageantry, and the enormity of the Casa de Grande, there is no other college football atmosphere that can compare.
State of Michigan Fact: there is no better state in the Union to be in from June to September weather wise. Combined with being on the very edge of the Eastern time zone, name me another state where you can get in a full 18 after an 8 hour day at work, as the sun doesn’t set in the summer in Michigan until after 10pm? No other state..and don’t say Alaska..I’ve been in Alaska when the sun never sets, and you’d be eaten alive by the black flies if you went out to play 18 after 5pm. I don’t think there’s a single golf course in Alaska …though I haven’t checked. My point is unassailable.
Fact About Women: Ladies, I love and respect y’all, but if a girl or woman get’s in trouble with the law, they will turn in their father or husband in a second to save their asses. That is an irrefutable fact of life. Be careful what you tell your woman, she will sell you out in second if it means she’s out of trouble.
Okay Den Denizens…let’s see your Polymath brains come up with your own.
The term comes from the Greek “polymathós” which means "one who knows many things", and is often likened to what has come to be called the 'Renaissance man'. A great example would be Leonardo Da Vinci, who is historically accepted to be one of the greatest, if no the greatest Polymath in human history. These highly educated, self-educated, or born geniuses were individuals whose knowledge spans many different subjects, and were known to draw on their complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems or provide quantum leaps in mankind’s understanding of the forces of the world and the universe that change the course of history. Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato were polymaths, as were Sir Isaac Newton and the German philosopher Gottfried Leibniz, who is famous for being arguably the last polymath in history, as well as for being, along Descartes and Spinoza, one of the three great representatives of early modern rationalism. After many years of controversy, he was, posthumously of course, finally recognized as the co-inventor of calculus, totally independently of any knowledge of Newton’s work, and had discovered the “f” function, which was the key to unlocking calculus’ full potential. America’s best example would be Ben Franklin, whose knowledge was so vast that to this day, we are discovering new aspects of Franklin’s genius that we are affected by as of 2024. However, most historians agree Franklin’s greatest achievement was his celebrity status in France he earned by indulging in the pleasures of sin and debauchery as a guest at the royal Court of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, essentially screwing his way through the women of the French aristocracy at court as subversive strategy to gain the essential support of the French at the very beginning of the American Revolution, even rumored to have seduced and bewitched Marie Antoinette herself. As a result, the French sent the Colonists Generals as advisors, 15,000 soldiers from the very seasoned French Army, and a significant portion of the French Navy, who showed up just in time to blockade Cornwallis from escape by sea from Yorktown, leading to his total surrender of his army to Washington, and was the inflection point for the end of English opposition to the American Revolution. In total cost, France spent 64 million dollars in the 1778-1780 era, money that ultimately bankrupted the monarchy and led to both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette being guillotined shortly after the French Revolution in 1793. The fact that Congress never paid a single cent back to the French was a huge point of contention between the 2 countries until WWI and WWII where we paid the outstanding balance back with interest saving their asses TWICE in the 20th century with rivers of American blood.
Since the 18th century, the need for polymaths died out as the “specialist” in a particular field emerged alongside the proliferation of literacy and education, all of which made the polymath a relic of the past and unnecessary in the brave new world. It’s unfortunate, as I believe we could use a DaVinci right now, or the male slut political brilliance of Ben Franklin who used his bacchanalian lifestyle as a strategic weapon in the delicate art of diplomacy. It’s even more impressive as Franklin was in the last years of middle age and definitely not a good looking man at the time. He must have been born with the devil’s tongue and the stamina of a Bull in order to pull off what he did in the French Royal court. Guess old Ben didn’t need BlueChew..lol.
So since we all have pretty impressive brain pans here, I thought I’d start a thread to salute the Polymaths of our past that without their contributions, we still could be living like the Amish do on a global level. The rules are you must post a fact or very strong take on Michigan Football or any other topic in the tradition of the Polymaths I’m choosing to celebrate today. I’ll give you 3 different topic facts and you guys can take it from there.
Michigan Football Fact: I have been to enough other campuses to know for a FACT that there is no other game day experience that comes close to Football Saturdays in Ann Arbor and especially the atmosphere on Main as you get close to the stadium, on the huge parking areas on the golf course, at Pioneer, and the hundreds of smaller tailgating spots around the Big House. As far as the tradition, pageantry, and the enormity of the Casa de Grande, there is no other college football atmosphere that can compare.
State of Michigan Fact: there is no better state in the Union to be in from June to September weather wise. Combined with being on the very edge of the Eastern time zone, name me another state where you can get in a full 18 after an 8 hour day at work, as the sun doesn’t set in the summer in Michigan until after 10pm? No other state..and don’t say Alaska..I’ve been in Alaska when the sun never sets, and you’d be eaten alive by the black flies if you went out to play 18 after 5pm. I don’t think there’s a single golf course in Alaska …though I haven’t checked. My point is unassailable.
Fact About Women: Ladies, I love and respect y’all, but if a girl or woman get’s in trouble with the law, they will turn in their father or husband in a second to save their asses. That is an irrefutable fact of life. Be careful what you tell your woman, she will sell you out in second if it means she’s out of trouble.
Okay Den Denizens…let’s see your Polymath brains come up with your own.
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