This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
I'm sure that many of you have heard that university professors have the easiest jobs of 2013, haven't you? They sit in their tweed jackets with leather elbow patches and say intelligent things all day, before teaching a class or two and taking a few weeks off. There's already a couple of excellent responses up about why this probably is notreflective of reality. But I was wondering, why do people tend to think this of teachers and university professors? Over at Neurotic Physiology, I'm exploring the concept of "half-knowledge", and how people might make these judgements. Head over and check it out.