The Absent-Minded Professor
The absent-minded professor is a stock character often depicted in fictional works, usually as a talented academic whose focus on academic matters leads them to ignore or forget their surroundings. This stereotypical view can be traced back as far as the philosopher Thales, who it is said, "walked at night with his eyes focused on the heavens and, as a result, fell down a well". One classic example of this is in the Disney film "The Absent-Minded Professor" made in 1963 and based on the short story "A Situation of Gravity", by Samuel W. Taylor. Two examples of this character portrayed in more modern media include doctor Emmett Brown from "Back to the Future" and Professor Farnsworth of "Futurama".