Lotus-Eater Quotes (1 quote)
Number theorists are like lotus-eaters—having tasted this food they can never give it up.
As quoted in Howard Eves, Mathematical Circles Squared (1972), 149. In Homer’s The Odyssey, lotus-eaters live in a state of dreamy forgetfulness and idleness from eating lotus fruit. Thus a lotus-eater pursues pleasure and luxury rather than dealing with practical concerns.
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
(1987) -- 
