5 ms·

But it’s so sad to be in it just for the money. If a phd will allow you to eventually do the things that you love, that should be the priority. Of course you c

But it’s so sad to be in it just for the money. If a phd will allow you to eventually do the things that you love, that should be the priority. Of course you can do what you love also without a PhD, but I’d argue that a PhD will eventually allow you to explore fields and things that are not economically viable. In fact I would say that it’s just plain sad that we have to choose something based on how economically viable it is (industry) rather than purely for its interesting properties.

hn_throwaway_99 8y ago
If you want to do something purely for its interesting properties, you don't need a PhD to do it.
- sktrdie 8y ago
  If you’re well off (from family or something like that) then sure you can of course do it in your own. However I’d rather have a system that would still allow me to get some sort of basic income (to afford a living) while doing, say, archeology studies in Ancient Rome. Such system is academia right now.
  - icelancer 8y ago
    > If you’re well off (from family or something like that) then sure you can of course do it in your own. I grew up in a below-average income family in a below-average city in America, and I carved this out for myself despite zero undergraduate degree. This meme that you have to be well off or that everyone who does it had benefactors is kinda silly. I realize I am a sample size of one, but I really don't care for being wholly discounted in these arguments as if such a path is impossible. Was it exceptionally hard? Yes. Would it have been easier if I just finished my BS and an accepted-to MS? Also yes. But I didn't for various reasons, and it still worked out because most of the factors that make a successful entrepreneur, scientist, and employee are exogenous to formal education anyway. I advise people regularly to continue on with formal education; it is not like I think this is a very good track to take. But it is one that is available to those who self-study their ass off and don't mind working menial jobs to put food on the table for themselves and their families with great sacrifices.
    - sktrdie 8y ago
      I was talking about doing things that are not economically viable. What kind of research do you do?
- azhenley 8y ago
  But someone pays me to pursue my interests, so a PhD was a fantastic choice!
- seanmcdirmid 8y ago
  You can, but you won’t necessarily get the support that you can from a stipend, adviser, upper division courses, student colleagues, conference travel, and so on.
- earenndil 8y ago
  I want to be a university professor purely because I find it interesting. Pray tell, in what land do I not need a Ph.D for this?
  - jonas21 8y ago
    Certainly there must be a particular field of study that you find interesting -- not just the mechanics of being a university professor.
  - icelancer 8y ago
    I've turned down a handful of offers to teach classes at university and I'm about 34 semester credits short of a Bachelor's Degree. So I guess the land you need to be in is the United States of America, at least in my case anyway. Might be true elsewhere but I haven't tested my luck.
    - dagw 8y ago
      Being a professor also involves doing original research, leading and managing larger research projects, advising and mentoring grad students and publishing original work. Teaching undergraduate classes is just one small part of being a professor, and in many cases the part many professors find the least interesting.
      - icelancer 8y ago
        I happen to have more than a handful of peer-reviewed papers under my belt, including some first authorship credits. That's pretty much how I got the offers.
        dagw 8y ago
        Oh indeed. If your main reason to want to be professor is that you want to teach some classes and publish some papers then there are definitely options to do that via working in industry (depending of course a lot on your field). However if you actually want to be a professor and work full time within the university world, with all the pros and cons that brings, then it's very hard to do without a doctorate. But I absolutely agree if you 'just' want to be involved with some research projects, publish a bit on the side and perhaps teach a few courses then there are many ways to reach that goal that don't involve becoming a professor.

hn_throwaway_99 8y ago

If you want to do something purely for its interesting properties, you don't need a PhD to do it.

sktrdie 8y ago
If you’re well off (from family or something like that) then sure you can of course do it in your own. However I’d rather have a system that would still allow me to get some sort of basic income (to afford a living) while doing, say, archeology studies in Ancient Rome. Such system is academia right now.
- icelancer 8y ago
  > If you’re well off (from family or something like that) then sure you can of course do it in your own. I grew up in a below-average income family in a below-average city in America, and I carved this out for myself despite zero undergraduate degree. This meme that you have to be well off or that everyone who does it had benefactors is kinda silly. I realize I am a sample size of one, but I really don't care for being wholly discounted in these arguments as if such a path is impossible. Was it exceptionally hard? Yes. Would it have been easier if I just finished my BS and an accepted-to MS? Also yes. But I didn't for various reasons, and it still worked out because most of the factors that make a successful entrepreneur, scientist, and employee are exogenous to formal education anyway. I advise people regularly to continue on with formal education; it is not like I think this is a very good track to take. But it is one that is available to those who self-study their ass off and don't mind working menial jobs to put food on the table for themselves and their families with great sacrifices.
  - sktrdie 8y ago
    I was talking about doing things that are not economically viable. What kind of research do you do?
azhenley 8y ago
But someone pays me to pursue my interests, so a PhD was a fantastic choice!
seanmcdirmid 8y ago
You can, but you won’t necessarily get the support that you can from a stipend, adviser, upper division courses, student colleagues, conference travel, and so on.
earenndil 8y ago
I want to be a university professor purely because I find it interesting. Pray tell, in what land do I not need a Ph.D for this?
- jonas21 8y ago
  Certainly there must be a particular field of study that you find interesting -- not just the mechanics of being a university professor.
- icelancer 8y ago
  I've turned down a handful of offers to teach classes at university and I'm about 34 semester credits short of a Bachelor's Degree. So I guess the land you need to be in is the United States of America, at least in my case anyway. Might be true elsewhere but I haven't tested my luck.
  - dagw 8y ago
    Being a professor also involves doing original research, leading and managing larger research projects, advising and mentoring grad students and publishing original work. Teaching undergraduate classes is just one small part of being a professor, and in many cases the part many professors find the least interesting.
    - icelancer 8y ago
      I happen to have more than a handful of peer-reviewed papers under my belt, including some first authorship credits. That's pretty much how I got the offers.
      - dagw 8y ago
        Oh indeed. If your main reason to want to be professor is that you want to teach some classes and publish some papers then there are definitely options to do that via working in industry (depending of course a lot on your field). However if you actually want to be a professor and work full time within the university world, with all the pros and cons that brings, then it's very hard to do without a doctorate. But I absolutely agree if you 'just' want to be involved with some research projects, publish a bit on the side and perhaps teach a few courses then there are many ways to reach that goal that don't involve becoming a professor.