Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (1776), book V, ch. II, part II, Appendix to Articles I and II.

It may indeed be doubted, whether butcher's meat is any where a necessary of life. Grain and other vegetables, with the help of milk, cheese, and butter, or oil, where butter is not to be had, it is known from experience, can, without any butcher's meat, afford the most plentiful, the most wholesome, the most nourishing, and the most invigorating diet.

— Adam Smith on Meat

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "It may indeed be doubted, whether butcher's meat is any where a necessary of life. Grain and other vegetables, with the help of milk, cheese, and butter, or oil, where butter is not to be had, it is known from experience, can, without any butcher's meat, afford the most plentiful, the most wholesome, the most nourishing, and the most invigorating diet." in the context of "Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (1776), book V, ch. II, part II, Appendix to Articles I and II." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Meat" (Quotes: Organized alphabetically by author.) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Adam Smith

About Adam Smith

Adam Smith (16 June 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish-born economist and philosopher, widely considered the "father of modern economics".