Timeless Wisdom - Exploring the Wisest People who Ever Lived
It’s been a while since I last wrote here. I’ve been so deep into cyber, AI, and life that writing has reached the bottom of my priority list (I did write some on my Medium blog though, but only cybersecurity-related).
I’m using AI and ChatGPT4 more and more in everything I do. It’s amazing how far this field has gone in 2023 alone. And it seems to head in a good direction unless, you know, doomsday.
I’ll get more into my most important applications of AI and ChatGPT in later writings. Here, I’m only going to give you a brief on how it helped me narrow down a list of figures that I want to read and research about; wisdom figures across time. I excluded Jesus, The Buddha, and similar figures for practical reasons (their wisdom - unmatched).
Here’s some of what I got from my interaction with ChatGPT (below is one of its responses [edited for readability]):
If the focus is narrowed to figures who are widely regarded as having lived lives of the highest moral conduct and wisdom, for whom extensive biographical or autobiographical information is available, the list would indeed be more limited. Here's a revised list:
Socrates - Philosophical father of ethics who encouraged questioning everything; biographies and dialogues elaborate his moral stance and conduct.
Elie Wiesel - Holocaust survivor committed to human rights and ethical responsibility; his autobiography and other works serve as a testament to his moral stance.
Harriet Tubman - Demonstrated moral courage by risking her life to free others; extensive biographical information exists on her life and actions.
Nelson Mandela - A symbol of moral integrity for his peaceful fight against apartheid and his focus on reconciliation; autobiographies and biographies provide extensive insights.
Confucius - His life and teachings, widely documented, set the standard for personal morality and social ethics in Chinese culture.
William Wilberforce - Leading figure in the movement to abolish the slave trade in Britain, known for his ethical convictions; his life is well-documented.
Jane Addams - Known for her work in social justice, she co-founded Hull House to help immigrants and the poor; numerous biographies are available.
Martin Luther King Jr. - Led the American civil rights movement based on principles of nonviolence and moral courage; multiple biographies are available.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Theologian who resisted Nazi dictatorship and was involved in ethical resistance; autobiographical letters and biographies document his moral life.
Gandhi - Known for his moral rigor and commitment to nonviolence; his autobiography and numerous biographies delve into his moral philosophy and conduct.
Helen Keller - Despite severe disabilities, she became an advocate for people with disabilities and various humanitarian causes; her autobiography and biographies offer insights into her moral character.
Albert Schweitzer - Revered for his ethical philosophy of "Reverence for Life," and for his humanitarian work; wrote autobiographies discussing his ethical stance.
Corrie ten Boom - Known for hiding Jews from the Nazis and later for her message of reconciliation; wrote an autobiography, "The Hiding Place."
Desmond Tutu - Known for his work against apartheid and his emphasis on reconciliation; his life and philosophy are well-documented in autobiographies and biographies.
Dalai Lama - Tibetan spiritual leader known for advocating for peace and human values; multiple autobiographies are available.
Aung San Suu Kyi - Initially known for her nonviolent resistance to Myanmar’s military rule, though her legacy has since been questioned; autobiographies and biographies exist.
Rosa Parks - Known for her role in the American civil rights movement; her autobiography and biographies elaborate on her moral courage.
Oskar Schindler - German industrialist who saved the lives of 1,200 Polish Jews during the Holocaust; extensively documented through biographies and memoirs.
Fred Rogers - Television personality who dedicated his life to the moral and emotional education of children; his life and philosophy are well-documented.
Mother Teresa - Catholic nun known for her humanitarian work in Calcutta; multiple biographies are available detailing her moral conduct.
Malala Yousafzai - Activist for girls' education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate; her autobiography provides insights into her moral courage.
Jimmy Carter - Former U.S. President known for his humanitarian work post-presidency; has written several autobiographical books.
Each of these figures is extensively documented, either through autobiographies, biographies, or both, and is generally recognized for a life of moral conduct and wisdom.
That being said, it’s gonna take a lifetime to learn from these people and the writings on them. But, I’ll start one page at a time. Currently, though, I’m going through Seeking Wisdom by Peter Bevelin, in light of the recent passing of Charlie Munger.
Until next time; have a good one!