But were they morally and culturally equipped to recognize those issues as failures, or were they simply average people of their time, that spent time debating

But were they morally and culturally equipped to recognize those issues as failures, or were they simply average people of their time, that spent time debating what was to them a fringe, extremist idea that made little sense? If the latter, can you condemn them for not being remarkable in this regard too, as they were on political, philosophical, scientific and patriotic issues? Can, indeed, any man be such a timeless conscience that is not only revolutionary to the their time, but to all future moral codes? You are most probably not among the universally righteous minds of our times, you are just an average man of our time. I don't think that means, by default, that all your actions are not worthy of praise of that your failing by an undisclosed future moral crime (such as eating sentient animals) negate all your moral choices today.