--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We current Justices read the Constitution…" description: "\"We current Justices read the Constitution in the only way that we can: as Twentieth Century Americans. We look to the history of the time of framing an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/william-j-brennan-15212_adaptability_we-current-justices-read-the-constitutio_2408808.jpg" --- # We current Justices read the Constitution in the only way… ![“We current Justices read the Constitution in the only way that we can: as Twentieth Century Americans. We look to the history of the time of framing and to the intervening history of interpretation. But the ultimate question must be, what do the words of the text mean in our time. For the genius…” quote by William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/william-j-brennan-15212_adaptability_we-current-justices-read-the-constitutio_2408808.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/william-j-brennan-15212_adaptability_we-current-justices-read-the-constitutio_2408808.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/william-j-brennan-15212_adaptability_we-current-justices-read-the-constitutio_2408808.jpg) > “We current Justices read the Constitution in the only way that we can: as Twentieth Century Americans. We look to the history of the time of framing and to the intervening history of interpretation. But the ultimate question must be, what do the words of the text mean in our time. For the genius of the Constitution rests not in any static meaning it might have had in a world that is dead and gone, but in the adaptability of its great principles to cope with current problems and current needs.” [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constitutional interpretation must evolve with contemporary society, not remain fixed to historic meanings. **In simple terms:** Law should adapt to modern needs. Key Takeaway Interpret the Constitution in today’s context. Themes law constitution interpretation Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - court rulings - policy debates - academic courses Key Concepts living document judicial philosophy adaptability Questions to Reflect On - How should judges balance original intent with modern values? - What mechanisms ensure flexible yet stable law? A Different Perspective Rigid historicism may ignore present realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adaptability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptability/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Framing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/framing/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Interpretation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpretation/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Twentieth century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twentieth-century/) [Ultimate questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-questions/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The genius of the Constitution rests not in any static meaning it might have had in a world that is dead and gone, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-genius-of-the-constitution-rests-not-in-any-static-meaning-it/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [We current justices read the Constitution in the only way that we can: as 20th-century Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-current-justices-read-the-constitution-in-the-only-way-that-we-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our Constitution rests on the good sense and the respect of the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/our-constitution-rests-on-the-good-sense-and-the-respect-of-the/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“The Constitution says: "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-constitution-says-we-the-people-of-the-united-states-in-order-to/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Anyone who says the American Constitution is obsolete just because social and economic conditions have changed does not understand the real genius of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-cleon-skousen/anyone-who-says-the-american-constitution-is-obsolete-just-because/) [W. Cleon Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-cleon-skousen/) > [It is the genius of our Constitution that under its shelter of enduring institutions and rooted principles there is ample room for the rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/it-is-the-genius-of-our-constitution-that-under-its-shelter-of/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [“Interpreters, when challenged on their manipulations, tell us the Constitution was written for a different and simpler time. Actually, the genius of the Constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-david-ledbetter/interpreters-when-challenged-on-their-manipulations-tell-us-the/) [Mark David Ledbetter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-david-ledbetter/) > [ I have referred to \[Rabbi Shlomo ben Isaac\] on occasion, but I doubt that you will find his name in any of my indices.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/i-have-referred-to-rabbi-shlomo-ben-isaac-on-occasion-but-i-doubt/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [“The history of interpretation, the skills by which we keep alive in our minds the light and dark of past literature and past humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-kermode/the-history-of-interpretation-the-skills-by-which-we-keep-alive-in/) [Frank Kermode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-kermode/) > [Most of my professional work has been in these areas - as a historical critic, as a literary critic. I've done very little in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hershel-shanks/most-of-my-professional-work-has-been-in-these-areas-as-a-historical/) [Hershel Shanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hershel-shanks/) > [Do not feel trapped by the facts of your history. Your history is not some set of sacred facts. History is an interpretation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-rubin/do-not-feel-trapped-by-the-facts-of-your-history-your-history-is-not/) [Harriet Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-rubin/) > [We look to the history of the time of framing and to the intervening history of interpretation. But the ultimate question must be, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-look-to-the-history-of-the-time-of-framing-and-to-the-intervening/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [History is the interpretation of the significance that the past has for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-huizinga/history-is-the-interpretation-of-the-significance-that-the-past-has/) [Johan Huizinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-huizinga/) > [ The history of interpretation \[of the Bible\] is fascinating; but that is something else. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-moore-cross/the-history-of-interpretation-of-the-bible-is-fascinating-but-that-is/) [Frank Moore Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-moore-cross/) > [“History is always the interpretation of the present”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/history-is-always-the-interpretation-of-the-present/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by William J. Brennan > [If our free society is to endure, those who govern must recognize human dignity and accept the enforcement of constitutional limitations on their power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-our-free-society-is-to-endure-those-who-govern-must-recognize/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Capital punishment...treats members of the human race...as objects to be toyed with and discarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/capital-punishment-treats-members-of-the-human-race-as-objects-to-be/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust and wide-open and that...may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/debate-on-public-issues-should-be-uninhibited-robust-and-wide-open/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [The modern public school derived from a philosophy of freedom reflected in the First Amendment ... The non-sectarian or secular public school was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-modern-public-school-derived-from-a-philosophy-of-freedom/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [If a policeman must know the Constitution, then why not a planner?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-a-policeman-must-know-the-constitution-then-why-not-a-planner/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Our statute books gradually became laden with gross, stereotyped distinctions between the sexes and, indeed, throughout much of the 19th century the position of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/our-statute-books-gradually-became-laden-with-gross-stereotyped/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [We cannot let colorblindness become myopia which masks the reality that many "created equal" have been treated within our lifetimes as inferior both by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/we-cannot-let-colorblindness-become-myopia-which-masks-the-reality/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [After each perceived security crisis ended, the United States has remorsefully realized that the abrogation of civil liberties was unnecessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/after-each-perceived-security-crisis-ended-the-united-states-has/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [The door of the Free Exercise Clause stands tightly closed against any government regulation of religious beliefs as such. Government may neither compel affirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-door-of-the-free-exercise-clause-stands-tightly-closed-against/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [One area of law more than any other besmirches the constitutional vision of human dignity. . . . The barbaric death penalty violates our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/one-area-of-law-more-than-any-other-besmirches-the-constitutional/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [“Thus, we consider this case against the background of a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/thus-we-consider-this-case-against-the-background-of-a-profound/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Whether to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/whether-to-the-average-person-applying-contemporary-community/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Our amended Constitution is the lodestar for our aspirations. Like every text worth reading, it is not crystalline. The phrasing is broad and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/our-amended-constitution-is-the-lodestar-for-our-aspirations-like/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [The public schools are supported entirely, in most communities, by public funds-funds exacted not only from parents, nor alone from those who hold particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-public-schools-are-supported-entirely-in-most-communities-by/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [The genius of the Constitution rests not in any static meaning it might have had in a world that is dead and gone, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-genius-of-the-constitution-rests-not-in-any-static-meaning-it/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) [Explore all 43 William J. Brennan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) ## More Adaptability quotes > [if I can't get what I want - well, I'll want what I can get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/if-i-can-t-get-what-i-want-well-i-ll-want-what-i-can-get/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [ My contemplation of life and human nature in that secluded place \[cell 54 of Cairo Central Prison\] taught me that he who cannot change… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-sadat/my-contemplation-of-life-and-human-nature-in-that-secluded-place-cell/) [Anwar Sadat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-sadat/) > [We'll have a different set of values, and society will adapt. That doesn't mean these changes are all good, just because we will accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reischauer/we-ll-have-a-different-set-of-values-and-society-will-adapt-that/) Robert Reischauer > [“Evolution is more about adaptivity than adaptability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/evolution-is-more-about-adaptivity-than-adaptability/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [I think that human beings have gotten as far as we've gotten because of our adaptability, our ability to adapt, and our ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/i-think-that-human-beings-have-gotten-as-far-as-we-ve-gotten-because/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) > [“It's a fact— everyone is ignorant in some way or another. Ignorance is our deepest secret. And it is one of the scariest things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/it-s-a-fact-everyone-is-ignorant-in-some-way-or-another-ignorance-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [The fastest thing computers do is go obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/the-fastest-thing-computers-do-is-go-obsolete/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Thea was still under the belief that public opinion could be placated; that if you clucked often enough, the hens would mistake you for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/thea-was-still-under-the-belief-that-public-opinion-could-be-placated/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [“adaptability coupled with readiness to flower year after year right from the first, roses are clearly”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-oster/adaptability-coupled-with-readiness-to-flower-year-after-year-right/) [Maggie Oster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-oster/) > [There's a mindset of flexibility and adaptability that comes with us. We don't mind hardship. We don't mind somebody saying, 'Go in and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-amos/there-s-a-mindset-of-flexibility-and-adaptability-that-comes-with-us/) [James F. Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-amos/) > [“Change is inevitable. Wise leaders anticipate it and adapt quickly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-rivard/change-is-inevitable-wise-leaders-anticipate-it-and-adapt-quickly/) Cynthia Rivard > [“Marketing is a never-ending story. It’s about perpetual motion where innovation plays the lead role.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kehoe/marketing-is-a-never-ending-story-it-s-about-perpetual-motion-where/) [Stacey Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kehoe/) > [“...such it is with all human sensations that people become gradually used to everything and this is truly a beneficial gift from nature, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-wagevier/such-it-is-with-all-human-sensations-that-people-become-gradually/) C. J. Wagevier > [“That was certainly a case of snowballing momentum. Who would've thought he'd succeed being that far behind?" "True. This particular assignment was designed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuto-tsukuda/that-was-certainly-a-case-of-snowballing-momentum-who-would-ve/) [Yuto Tsukuda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuto-tsukuda/) > [My point was simply that the war on global terrorism is going to be a long one, and we need to adapt as our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-myers/my-point-was-simply-that-the-war-on-global-terrorism-is-going-to-be-a/) Richard Myers [Browse all 162 Adaptability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We current Justices read the Constitution in the only way that we can: as Twentieth Century Americans. We look to the history of the time of framing and to the intervening history of interpretation. But the ultimate question must be, what do the words of the text mean in our time. For the genius of the Constitution rests not in any static meaning it might have had in a world that is dead and gone, but in the adaptability of its great principles to cope with current problems and current needs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William J. Brennan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/we-current-justices-read-the-constitution-in-the-only-way-that-we-can-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adaptability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/we-current-justices-read-the-constitution-in-the-only-way-that-we-can-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/william-j-brennan-15212_adaptability_we-current-justices-read-the-constitutio_2408808.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/william-j-brennan-15212_adaptability_we-current-justices-read-the-constitutio_2408808.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e6/william-j-brennan-15212_adaptability_we-current-justices-read-the-constitutio_2408808.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We current Justices read the Constitution in the only way that we can: as Twentieth Century Americans. We…” — William J. Brennan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William J. Brennan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We current Justices read the Constitution...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/we-current-justices-read-the-constitution-in-the-only-way-that-we-can-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/we-current-justices-read-the-constitution-in-the-only-way-that-we-can-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```