--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Great scientists are Peter Pans, still…" description: "\"“Great scientists are Peter Pans, still anxious to classify and explain at an age when most people are concerned with money, power and sex.”\" — David M..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/david-m-knight-231362_inspirational_great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-an_2927535.jpg" --- # Great scientists are Peter Pans, still anxious to classify… ![“Great scientists are Peter Pans, still anxious to classify and explain at an age when most people are concerned with money, power and sex.” quote by David M. Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/david-m-knight-231362_inspirational_great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-an_2927535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/david-m-knight-231362_inspirational_great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-an_2927535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/david-m-knight-231362_inspirational_great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-an_2927535.jpg) > ““Great scientists are Peter Pans, still anxious to classify and explain at an age when most people are concerned with money, power and sex.”” [David M. Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-knight/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientists remain childlike in wonder, prioritizing discovery over money, power, or sex. **In simple terms:** Scientists stay curious, valuing discovery over material gains. Key Takeaway Encourage wonder-driven inquiry in any field. Themes science curiosity values motivation knowledge Mood inspirational reflective Type article opinion When to use this quote - research labs - STEM education - creative industries Key Concepts philosophy of science psychology of motivation education Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture curiosity in a profit-driven environment? - What motivates you beyond money? A Different Perspective Not all fields allow for pure curiosity due to funding pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-scientists-622338/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-power/) [Pans Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pans-anxious-4297855/) [People Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-concerned/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists/) [Scientists Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists-peter-4297854/) ## Related quotes > [The books of the great scientists are gathering dust on the shelves of learned libraries. ... While the artist's communication is linked forever with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-delbruck/the-books-of-the-great-scientists-are-gathering-dust-on-the-shelves/) [Max Delbruck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-delbruck/) > [When kids look up to great scientists the way they do to great musicians and actors, civilization will jump to the next level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/when-kids-look-up-to-great-scientists-the-way-they-do-to-great/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [Both Newton and Darwin were driven by the data and were forced to recognize that they couldn't explain everything. It may be a characteristic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-wolpert/both-newton-and-darwin-were-driven-by-the-data-and-were-forced-to/) [Lewis Wolpert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-wolpert/) > [ \[Great scientists\] are men of bold ideas, but highly critical of their own ideas: they try to find whether their ideas are right by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/great-scientists-are-men-of-bold-ideas-but-highly-critical-of-their/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Of course the Curies died. They identified ionizing radiation while bathing in it. There were risks involved in being your own guinea pig. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-barry/of-course-the-curies-died-they-identified-ionizing-radiation-while/) [Max Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-barry/) > [They're a lot of great scientists and their mission is to protect people. It's the Environmental Protection Agency, but it's really a people protection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/they-re-a-lot-of-great-scientists-and-their-mission-is-to-protect/) [Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/) > [The lives of those such as Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein are plainly of interest in their own right, as well as for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-lives-of-those-such-as-charles-darwin-and-albert-einstein-are/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [Science will always raise philosophical questions like, is any scientific theory or model correct? How do we know? Are unobserved things real? etc. and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-crane/science-will-always-raise-philosophical-questions-like-is-any/) [Tim Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-crane/) > [“I come from a religious tradition where we make a blessing over great scientists regardless of their views on religion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/i-come-from-a-religious-tradition-where-we-make-a-blessing-over-great/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [“At present, a good many men engaged in scientific pursuits, and who have signally failed in gaining recognition among their fellows, are endeavoring to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/at-present-a-good-many-men-engaged-in-scientific-pursuits-and-who/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [How did scientists get money in the past? They were either lucky and independently wealthy, like Darwin, or they had patrons, like Galileo. Universities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/how-did-scientists-get-money-in-the-past-they-were-either-lucky-and/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Of course it would be great to have more scientists in Congress. But what I'd love is to have another Lyndon Johnson in Congress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/of-course-it-would-be-great-to-have-more-scientists-in-congress-but/) [Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/) > [“reminded him of the great scientists who have been Christians—from Newton and Kepler to Pavlov and the discoverer of anaesthetics, Sir James Simpson. Luca…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wurmbrand/reminded-him-of-the-great-scientists-who-have-been-christians-from/) [Richard Wurmbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wurmbrand/) > [When it was suggested to Pasteur that many of his great achievements depended on luck, he replied - I'm sure with more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-wolpert/when-it-was-suggested-to-pasteur-that-many-of-his-great-achievements/) [Lewis Wolpert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-wolpert/) > [In spite of the fact that religion looks backward to revealed truth while science looks forward to new vistas and discoveries, both activities produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/in-spite-of-the-fact-that-religion-looks-backward-to-revealed-truth/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Great scientists are Peter Pans, still anxious to classify and explain at an age when most people are concerned with money, power and sex.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David M. Knight" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-knight/great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-anxious-to-classify-and-explain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-knight/great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-anxious-to-classify-and-explain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/david-m-knight-231362_inspirational_great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-an_2927535.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/david-m-knight-231362_inspirational_great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-an_2927535.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/661/david-m-knight-231362_inspirational_great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-an_2927535.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Great scientists are Peter Pans, still anxious to classify and explain at an age when most people are…” — David M. Knight", "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": "David M. Knight", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-knight/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Great scientists are Peter Pans, still...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-knight/great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-anxious-to-classify-and-explain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-knight/great-scientists-are-peter-pans-still-anxious-to-classify-and-explain/#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 } } ] } ```