Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
When Ossipon gets fed up with the Professor's bragging, he asks the Professor what he wants from the world, since all the man does is criticize both political radicals and the people in power. The Professor's response is simple: "a perfect detonator" (4.60). The Professor's problem is that at any given moment, the police might jump him from behind or shoot him in the street before he has a chance to trigger his bomb. Even with his hand constantly on the detonator, he still needs that crucial half-second to trigger it.
What he wants is a detonator that "would adjust itself to all conditions of action, and even to unexpected changes of conditions" (4.45), and this desire demonstrates the Professor's wish to overcome the randomness of life altogether. He wants to have a feeling of total control, which is embodied in his idea of a perfect detonator. This desire, though, can only ever be a fantasy, just like the Professor's belief in his own greatness, or his ability to control the world around him.