Spinoza

Of the 'intellectuals' in history among the one I most admire is Spinoza. A giant of philosophy he was subject to excommunication and vilification in his own lifetime and for decades, even centuries, afterwards. He simply was not deflected, made a living as a lens grinder, and continued to write what he saw as the truth - with amazing intellegence and content. As my personal motto, taken from a member of the Algerian FLN, is 'courage is a much rarer virtue than intelligence' I consider him a model of what should be involved in hunan thought.