The philosophies of one age have become the absurdities of the next, and the foolishness of yesterday has become the wisdom of tomorrow.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Ideas accepted as wise in one era may seem foolish in the next, showing how values shift over time.
- In plain terms
- What is wise today may seem foolish tomorrow.
- What can you take from it?
- Stay open to changing perspectives as time passes.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What today's wisdom might tomorrow reject?
- How do eras define wisdom?
Another view
Some truths remain constant despite shifting cultural norms.
More from William Osler
The greater the ignorance the greater the dogmatism.
Permalink to quote #1 The natural man has only two primal passions, to get and to beget.
Permalink to quote #3 We can only instill principles, put the student in the right path, give him method, teach him how to study, and early to discern between essentials and non-ess…
Permalink to quote #4
Related quotes
I believe it safe to say that all progress must lead, not to further progress, but finally to the negation of progress, a return to the point of departure.
Eugene DelacroixEugene Delacroix quote #5 The old world is dying away, and the new world struggles to come forth: now is the time of monsters.
Antonio GramsciAntonio Gramsci quote #9 What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum? The barbarians are due here today.
Constantine P. CavafyConstantine P. Cavafy quote #11