> The goal of completing a Ph.D. program is to become the most knowledgable person in the world about a specific topic. While this is a valuable goal for discip

> The goal of completing a Ph.D. program is to become the most knowledgable person in the world about a specific topic. While this is a valuable goal for disciplines that reward specialization, it does not provide enough flexibility for autodidacts with a range of interests. This is generally true, but it is not a rule written in stone. One word: interdisciplinary. For example, I work in a field which lays in the middle between materials science and mechanical engineering. My day to day work is mostly programming, but I also need a strong background on experimental methods and fundamental physics (also, math and statistics, lots of that stuff people say they study but never need in their careers). We need many people like this. We need mathematicians who can interpret experimental results. We need engineers who can question "fundamental" laws. We need scientists who are good programmers and are not afraid of complicated equations. In my department, jacks of all trades are a very valuable asset. I am also of the opinion that people with a broad range of interests usually have more original ideas. People very focused in some field do very important work, and find very good jobs when they finish, but important advancement usually comes from thinking-out-of-the-box people.