Uh, how is that "obviously" false? So everyone was as smart as Aristotle, huh?
Right. We'd be much farther ahead now if that was the case. C'mon now, you can't honestly sit there and tell me that people 2000 years ago were as smart as we are now or had even the FRACTION of knowledge we now have. We simply have a much bigger picture of life than they did, just like people 2000 years from now will possess vasts amount more information and technology than we currently have. We will be dumb compared to them.
There were a few bright bulbs on the tree, but they were few and far between. Just like now... we have people like Stephen Hawking. Most people aren't even REMOTELY as smart as that man. He understands things in his mind that we couldn't even fathom.
The statement wasn't arrogant, it's the truth. If you went back 2000 years ago and asked people exactly HOW a baby is conceived, they'd look at you with a blank stare. Or ask them what the stars are... so much for being obviously false!