But the fact of the matter is that as our knowledge of different subjects advances, there are more and more things to learn before a student can get down to do

But the fact of the matter is that as our knowledge of different subjects advances, there are more and more things to learn before a student can get down to doing actual research. Together with increased automation of many mundane jobs as a result of computers, this makes a long education almost mandatory for people wishing to maximise their chances of employment.