Once you obtain subject mastery you just need the read the abstracts. To get a cold start look for a “survey”, “literature review”, or “systematization of know

Once you obtain subject mastery you just need the read the abstracts. To get a cold start look for a “survey”, “literature review”, or “systematization of knowledge” papers. Those organize a lot of papers, check out the ones that look cool and read the abstracts. Rinse and repeat for five years and you get a phd.