--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History teaches us that a given view has…" description: "\"History teaches us that a given view has been abandoned in favor of another by all men, or by all competent men, or perhaps by only the most vocal men;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/leo-strauss-12446_abandoned_history-teaches-us-that-a-given-view-has_507314.jpg" --- # History teaches us that a given view has been abandoned in… ![“History teaches us that a given view has been abandoned in favor of another by all men, or by all competent men, or perhaps by only the most vocal men; it does not teach us whether the change was sound or whether the rejected view deserved to be rejected. Only an impartial analysis of the view in…” quote by Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/leo-strauss-12446_abandoned_history-teaches-us-that-a-given-view-has_507314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/leo-strauss-12446_abandoned_history-teaches-us-that-a-given-view-has_507314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/934/leo-strauss-12446_abandoned_history-teaches-us-that-a-given-view-has_507314.jpg) > “History teaches us that a given view has been abandoned in favor of another by all men, or by all competent men, or perhaps by only the most vocal men; it does not teach us whether the change was sound or whether the rejected view deserved to be rejected. Only an impartial analysis of the view in question, an analysis that is not dazzled by the victory or stunned by the defeat of the adherents of the view concerned - could teach us anything regarding the worth of the view and hence regarding the meaning of the historical change.” [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History shows which ideas dominate, but not if they were better; impartial analysis is needed to judge ideas, not popularity. **In simple terms:** History tells which ideas win, not if they’re better. Key Takeaway Evaluate ideas on merit, not popularity. Themes history critical thinking philosophy truth Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical reflective When to use this quote - academic debate - policy making - media reporting - personal belief formation Key Concepts epistemology historical analysis bias evaluation Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess an idea's merit beyond its popularity? - What criteria ensure impartial evaluation? A Different Perspective Popularity can mask flaws; consensus may be driven by power, not truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Analysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) ## Related quotes > [Western civilization presents one of the most difficult tasks for historical analysis, because it is not yet finished, because we are a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-quigley/western-civilization-presents-one-of-the-most-difficult-tasks-for/) [Carroll Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-quigley/) > [It is one of my targets to show people that a lot of things that are part of their landscape - that people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/it-is-one-of-my-targets-to-show-people-that-a-lot-of-things-that-are/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [The felt unreliability of human experience brought about by the inhuman acceleration of historical change has led every sensitive modern mind to the recording…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-felt-unreliability-of-human-experience-brought-about-by-the/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [It is clear that every civilization undergoes a process of historical change. We can see that a civilization comes into existence, passes through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-quigley/it-is-clear-that-every-civilization-undergoes-a-process-of-historical/) [Carroll Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-quigley/) > [The past itself, as historical change continues to accelerate, has become the most surreal of subjects - making it possible... to see a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-past-itself-as-historical-change-continues-to-accelerate-has/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“Drawing on the best modern scholarship, this book seeks to rescue the history of networks from the clutches of the conspiracy theorists, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/drawing-on-the-best-modern-scholarship-this-book-seeks-to-rescue-the/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [Historical change is like an avalanche. The starting point is a snow-covered mountainside that looks solid. All changes take place under the surface and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/historical-change-is-like-an-avalanche-the-starting-point-is-a-snow/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [“If history teaches anything it is that there can be no peace without equilibrium and no justice without restraint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/if-history-teaches-anything-it-is-that-there-can-be-no-peace-without/) [Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/) > [“History teaches us that men and nations only behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives." --”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abba-eban/history-teaches-us-that-men-and-nations-only-behave-wisely-once-they/) [Abba Eban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abba-eban/) > [History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/history-teaches-that-war-begins-when-governments-believe-the-price-of/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The only thing history teaches us, a wise man once said, is that history doesn’t teach us anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-only-thing-history-teaches-us-a-wise-man-once-said-is-that/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [If history teaches anything, it teaches humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/if-history-teaches-anything-it-teaches-humility/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [“History teaches us that ordinary people can grow accustomed to horrible, normally unthinkable acts—what”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-e-lieberman/history-teaches-us-that-ordinary-people-can-grow-accustomed-to/) [Daniel E. Lieberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-e-lieberman/) > [If History teaches any lesson at all, it is that there are no historical lessons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucien-febvre/if-history-teaches-any-lesson-at-all-it-is-that-there-are-no/) [Lucien Febvre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucien-febvre/) > [From men motivated by moral certitude, history teaches, no lasting good ever comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/from-men-motivated-by-moral-certitude-history-teaches-no-lasting-good/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) ## More by Leo Strauss > [A conservative, I take it, is a man who despises vulgarity; but the argument which is concerned exclusively with calculations of success, and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/a-conservative-i-take-it-is-a-man-who-despises-vulgarity-but-the/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [Men are constantly attracted and deluded by two opposite charms: the charm of competence which is engendered by mathematics and everything akin to mathematics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/men-are-constantly-attracted-and-deluded-by-two-opposite-charms-the/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [“But what is the core of the political? Men killing men on the largest scale in broad daylight and with the greatest serenity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/but-what-is-the-core-of-the-political-men-killing-men-on-the-largest/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [“Todo ser humano y toda sociedad es lo que es en virtud de su máxima aspiración. La ciudad, si es sana, aspira no a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/todo-ser-humano-y-toda-sociedad-es-lo-que-es-en-virtud-de-su-m-xima/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [“Only a great fool would call the new political science diabolic: it has no attributes peculiar to fallen angels. 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It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/liberal-education-which-consists-in-the-constant-intercourse-with-the/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [Education to perfect gentlemanship, to human excellence, liberal education consists in reminding oneself of human excellence, of human greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/education-to-perfect-gentlemanship-to-human-excellence-liberal/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [The contemporary rejection of natural right leads to nihilism — nay, it is identical with nihilism,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/the-contemporary-rejection-of-natural-right-leads-to-nihilism-nay-it/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [When speaking of a "body of knowledge" or of "the results of research," e.g., we tacitly assign the same cognitive status to inherited knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/when-speaking-of-a-body-of-knowledge-or-of-the-results-of-research-e/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [All political action aims at either preservation or change. When desiring to preserve, we wish to prevent a change for the worse; when desiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/all-political-action-aims-at-either-preservation-or-change-when/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) [Explore all 55 Leo Strauss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) ## More Abandoned quotes > [“I'm surprised when I walk right into yet another abandoned hunters' camp. Tattered plastic sheeting still hangs askew here and there. 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