... a really good stream of well-reasoned bullshit, but as a serious professor, I would never have done the "Why?" thing in the first place. The whole "Why?" ... "Because" ... "Why Not?" thing is an urban legend that has been going around college campuses for years, so one never fully believes anyone's story about it.

I was an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University for 13 years, so I have pretty much heard and/or seen the repertoire of campus urban legends. Frankly, I would think that a legit prodessor of Philosophy at a serious institute of learning would get flack from the peer group and/or the administration for pulling the rather sophomoric "Why?" stunt. Ask Poppet if they ever did that at Columbia University. I seriously doubt it.