As previously noted, Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) had a dim view of professors and professorial chairs. Perhaps the same might have applied to Socrates (470/469-399 BC), had there been such things as professors in his day. I cannot see how he could ever have accepted a professorial chair given that his wisdom and insight was such as to reveal his relative ignorance in the face of the sum of all things. By this token, no one who has genuinely made this humbling realisation (and is not also a hypocrite) could accept such a position. So, there is clearly something else at play in the 'professorial mind' - or, at least, those desirous of the title. (Perhaps, after the position is attained that mind changes?)
