John Stuart Mill, as quoted by Stevenson in Call to Greatness (1954), p. 102; this has also been misquoted as "That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in another."
“
That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in the next.
— John Stuart Mill on Adlai Stevenson II
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in the next." in the context of "John Stuart Mill, as quoted by Stevenson in Call to Greatness (1954), p. 102; this has also been misquoted as "That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in another."" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Adlai Stevenson II" (Misattributed)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873), also known as J. S. Mill, was an English political philosopher and economist who was an advocate of utilitarianism.
About John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873), also known as J. S. Mill, was an English political philosopher and economist who was an advocate of utilitarianism.
View all quotes →