zoglet

New Zealand intellectuals - are there any?

I don't mean that to sound insulting. As a serious question, are there any philosophers or intellectuals of note from NZ?

hazeandsteve

I'd just accept the fact that it's insulting.
Most of the kiwis that make the news are through overcoming difficulties, such as Kim Newcombe or that fella who invented the jet unit. but who would you rather have living next door if your lawn mower won't start. Steven Hawkings isn't a lot of use bending spanners eh?

Charismatic

Maurice Wilkins, Ernest Rutherford, William Pickering...but they all left and made it big abroad.

londonescapee

Justcol

i think they are to insular to be intellectual, most dont bother to look beyond
their own borders and have no appreciation of global issues.( unless it involves dairy farming)

pricklykina

Some pretty incredible scientists here these days

janek

yeah but don't forget that substandard education they received here before they left on the boat

I'm not so sure intellectuals make the world go round anyway, maybe they help but as the other poster said they are bloody useless when you can't get the mower running.

drrobert

Yes, there are NZ 'intellectuals' - at least as many as you'd expect from a country of 4 million people:

James K Baxter
Alan Brunton
Bernadette Hall
Sam Hunt
Hone Tuwhare
Robin Hyde
Katherine Mansfield
Vincent O'Sullivan
Alan Musgrave
James Flynn
...