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Robert Nozick

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Philosopher

The Resume

    (November 16, 1938-January 23, 2002)
    From Brooklyn, NY
    Wrote 'Anarchy, State, and Utopia,' 'Philosophical Explanations' and 'Invariances'

Why he might be annoying:

    He almost made libertarianism sound reasonable.
    Some right wingers misunderstand him or selectively quote him.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was one of the leading analytic philosophers of the last half of the century, writing on almost every area of philosophy, and was dedicated to correct reasoning rather than trying to construct an argument with unsupported premises to get a desired conclusion.
    Former Harvard president, Neil L. Rudenstine said of him: 'Robert has one of the most versatile, piercing, and agile minds that I have ever encountered.'
    He gained an interest in philosophy after finding a beat up copy of Plato's 'Republic' when he was 15.
    Although he disagreed with them politically, he was friends with men like Alan Dershowitz and Justice Stephen Breyer.
    He strongly criticized the line of reasoning of fellow libertarian, Ayn Rand, exposing her logical fallacies and poor arguments.
    He wrote an article in Time magazine in 1978 in which he said of his work, '...right wing people like the pro-free-market argument, but don't like the arguments for individual liberty in cases like gay rights - although I view them as an interconnecting whole...'
    He never taught the same course twice, with the exception of one entitled 'The Best Things in Life,' which was described as an examination of 'The nature and value of those things deemed best, such as friendship, love, intellectual understanding, sexual pleasure, achievement, adventure, play, luxury, fame, power, enlightenment, and ice cream.'
    He fought stomach cancer for nearly eight years before he succumbed to it.

Credit: Nihilism Cynicism Sarcasm Orgasm


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 88.89% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 17 Votes: 70.59% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 58.82% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 16 Votes: 68.75% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 28 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 30 Votes: 63.33% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 61 Votes: 65.57% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 109 Votes: 55.05% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 208 Votes: 49.52% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 233 Votes: 53.65% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 502 Votes: 57.17% Annoying
    In 2002, Out of 262 Votes: 62.60% Annoying