„Das erste Zeichen von Senilität ist, dass ein Mann seine Theoreme vergisst, das zweite Zeichen, dass er vergisst, einen Reißverschluss zuzumachen, das dritte Zeichen ist, dass er vergisst, einen Reißverschluss aufzumachen.“
Original
The first sign of senility is that a man forgets his theorems, the second sign is that he forgets to zip up, the third sign is that he forgets to zip down.
Though Erdős used this remark, it is said to have originated with his friend Stanisław Ulam, as reported in The Man Who Loved Only Numbers : The Story of Paul Erdős and the Search for Mathematical Truth (1998) by Paul Hoffman
Variants:
The first sign of senility is when a man forgets his theorems. The second sign is when he forgets to zip up. The third sign is when he forgets to zip down.
As quoted in Wonders of Numbers : Adventures in Mathematics, Mind, and Meaning (2002) by Clifford A. Pickover, p. 64
There are three signs of senility. The first sign is that a man forgets his theorems. The second sign is that he forgets to zip up. The third sign is that he forgets to zip down.
Misattributed
Ähnliche Zitate
„[…] daß man den Künstler dann erst recht lobt, wenn man über sein Werk sein Lob vergißt.“
I, 4 / Prinz. S. 12
Emilia Galotti
Reflexionen, Maxime 95
Original franz.: "La marque d'un mérite extraordinaire est de voir que ceux qui l'envient le plus sont contraints de le louer."
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
Frühling und Herbst des Lü Bu We, S. 293
Da-De
„Ein erstes Zeichen beginnender Erkenntnis ist der Wunsch zu sterben.“
13, S. 227
Betrachtungen über Sünde, Leid, Hoffnung und den wahren Weg