Ages are no more infallible than individuals; every age having held many opinions which subsequent ages have deemed not only false but absurd; and it is as certain that many opinions, now general, will be rejected by future ages, as it is that many, once general, are rejected by the present. (p. 25)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- No age is infallible; past accepted opinions are often rejected by future generations as false or absurd.
- In plain terms
- Past beliefs once accepted are often rejected by later generations as wrong.
- What can you take from it?
- Be open to questioning current accepted beliefs.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What current beliefs will future generations reject?
- How do we know what is true?
Another view
It assumes future generations always improve on past views.
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