In my ongoing fatuous quest to determine the greatest philosopher of the 20th century, today I'll compare a quote from Jack Handey and Martin Heidegger.What is a world picture? Obviously, a picture of the world. But what does "world" mean here? What does "picture" mean? "World" serves here as a name for what is, in its entirety. The name is not limited to the cosmos, to nature. History also belongs to the world. Yet even nature and history, and both interpenetrating in their underlying and transcending of one another, do not exhaust the world. In this designation the ground of the world is meant also, no matter how its relation to the world is thought.
Heidegger - The Age of the World Picture
[a couple more pages defining 'picture' follow]
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself. Basically, it's made up of two separate words — "mank" and "ind." What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
Handey - Deeper Thoughts: All New, All Crispy (1993)
Who is the greater philosopher? Mankind may never know.
More quotes-- Handey and Heidegger on tradition
Update 8/4: Charlie Huenemann has a follow up to this post.
It looks like Handey is still out in front.
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