A Chef's knife is nothing more than an extension of their hand. It is no different than the woodworker creating fine furniture. Just as the woodworker needs their tools to be razor sharp, so does the chef in the kitchen. Whether you own a $5 throw away knife or a $1500 Japanese sashimi knife, both blades need to have the best possible edge to perform in the kitchen.
Many choose to believe that the sharper the knife, the more dangerous it is in the hands of the user. The opposite is true. The sharper your blade, the easier it is to cut and the more control you have over it. A dull knife tends to slip and grab, which will make the user lose control and cause injury. A dull knife is an unsafe knife.