Greatest Ever Scot

[Jock Scot]

Exceptional and thoughtful responses all, to a most subjective question to be sure. I would add Wm. Thompson, Lord Kelvin. Not only did he advance EM studies and thermodynamics, and of course developed the Kelvin scale, he also developed an improved marine compass and (I believe) hydrographic equipment.

To go on a tangent, I would like to ask the assembled, "What quality(-ies) define 'greatness'?" How do we begin to define the "greatest" amongst a population, much less the greatest ever? I'd very much like to hear the criteria---full disclosure, this is a question I ask my philosophy students on a regular basis.

Right then, from a non academics point of view, I put that("greatness") down to "achievement and the way that it was done" and it is that simple. Now my interests are not really science based and I am not particularly "arty" so many worthy people will slip through my net. Nevertheless, I think for me, "---achievement and the way it was done--" will be my definition of "greatness".

[McClef]

"Some are born Great, some achieve Greatness and some have Greatness thrust upon them."

Not many people in history have had the title "the Great" conferred upon them and these have been Monarchs or Popes.

But none of them have, to my knowledge, been Scots.

Despite that, there are many Scots who are seen to have an element of greatness in the minds of folk. Depends upon one's interest or knowledge as to how that criteria is applied. For some it's patriotic military leadership and for others it's how they have inspired and influenced the lives of others and for some others it's because they have actually heard of them or seen a movie based (however inaccurately) on their lives.

It would be interesting to get official X Marks nominations and then have a vote on the 10 most nominated with someone acting as advocate for each candidate. At least that way we would know who the X Marks Greatest Scot is!

[DrumMayer]

Well said, Jock Scot & McClef. However, I am dismayed that simple recognition is part of the equation as well, and in our own time becoming the defining characteristic. For instance, many of the above posters have named William Wallace and Robert Bruce, yet Andrew Moray and James "The Black" Douglas go begging when people speak of the War of Independence these days. Are they not great as well?

It would be interesting to get official X Marks nominations and then have a vote on the 10 most nominated with someone acting as advocate for each candidate. At least that way we would know who the X Marks Greatest Scot is!

An excellent idea! It puts me in mind of the kind of annual polls that some magazines have. I'm sure the response would be enthusiastic and varied. How would we go about this?

[auld argonian]

Sir James Dewar...inventor of the vacuum flask (or thermos bottle, as it's come to be known.

...and I'll custom-rewrite the old joke so that it fits...

A panel of some of the world's most distinguished scientists are asked to name the one great invention that exhibits the ingenuity of man.

They meet and spend hours tossing around ideas...could it be the computer? The laser? The internal combustion engine? No two of them can agree and the discussion goes on long into the night.

Not knowing that the meeting is still going on the old janitor comes into the room to perform his usual nightly duties. One of the scientists seizes on this opportunity, "Gentlemen, perhaps we have been overthinking the whole thing! Here is a common working man...I suggest that we ask him what the greatest invention in the world is...perhaps his simple mind can find the solution that eludes us."

The janitor isn't quite pleased to be referred to as "simple" but promises to do his best. After some thought, he says, "I guess that the world's greatest invention has got to be the thermos bottle."

The scientists can't believe this answer and the lead panel member asks why the janitor thinks that the thermos bottle is the greatest invention in the world.

"Well," he says, "in the Winter, when it's cold, my wife fills it with hot soup and it keeps the soup hot. And in the summer, when it's hot out, my wife fills it with ice cold lemonade and it keeps that cold."

"So how" asks the scientist, "does that make it the greatest invention in the world?"

The janitor narrows his eyes and whispers conspiratorially, "...how does it know?"

It's an old joke...but Sir James Dewar, a Scot, figgered out how to make it work.


Best

AA

[Graham A. Robieson]

Greetings,

The Greatest Scot that comes to my mind is the "Working Man" labourers who keep this country going through hardships and struggles, also are the ones in times of danger, who will stand up together and defend all that is important to family, friends and the community at home, Robert Burns wrote a poem "A Man's A Man For A' That" and so Burns was Great at noticing what most others often miss...the common chap or the uncommon chap, who gets on the best he can with what he has. The Greatest Scot is the humble Scot, who isn't afraid to get stuck into whatever needs doing and doesn't look down on anyone.

All the best,


Graham

[Captain_Cogle]

Im torn between Field Marshall James Francis Edward Keith and Dr. Archibald Cameron.

But perhaps I am biased.

[jhockin]

Greetings,

The Greatest Scot that comes to my mind is the "Working Man" labourers who keep this country going through hardships and struggles, also are the ones in times of danger, who will stand up together and defend all that is important to family, friends and the community at home, Robert Burns wrote a poem "A Man's A Man For A' That" and so Burns was Great at noticing what most others often miss...the common chap or the uncommon chap, who gets on the best he can with what he has. The Greatest Scot is the humble Scot, who isn't afraid to get stuck into whatever needs doing and doesn't look down on anyone.

All the best,


Graham

couldn't agree more! it's the common man ( the 'humblie') that is so readily & commonly, forgotten, but without whom the "greats"/"nobles" wouldn't be able to function, and all the things that are taken for granted simply wouldn't happen. It is also the 'common man' who usually "pays the piper", for the "greats" mistakes, etc. Perhaps this is why, when the CBC held "The greatest Canadian" contest, it was Tommy Douglas ( another common man, of scottish descent) who won,"hands down"

[Mike_Oettle]

Just a historian’s caution here: if you are thinking of the nobles of Scotland the way they were portrayed in Braveheart, you have a sadly skewed image. Gibson got that aspect at least as badly wrong as he did his philabegs, for all that he had some wonderful tartan woven.
Regards,
Mike

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

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