Why you shouldn't get a PhD
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"For an academic career puts a young man into a kind of embarrassing position by requiring him to produce scientific publications in impressive quantity - a seduction into superficiality which only strong characters are able to withstand."
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
"The implications of scientists, blindly searching for more empty knowledge, as pawns of the capitalists, guided by a philosophy of blind greed, creating new and better tools and toys for the rest of us, yields a rather uncomfortable image in my mind of the future of the human race."
- From “Rise of Scientific Philosophy”
Hans Reichenbach (1891 – 1953)
“The young student of physics today is doing his best to assimilate the heavy machinery of modern physics, which will enable him to write papers and become a respected member of the academic community. He has little time and inclination to speculate on the ultimate reality of the cosmos and its possible implications for an integrated world picture."
- Cornelius Lanczos (1893-1974) -
PhD is for Philosophiae Doctor.
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you regret your PhD?
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PhD unlike what people thought, is nothing more than a paid-job under a mentor, with 21 days of annual leave and some allowances. A four-year contract, and at the end, the school give you a cert for your commitment.
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ok de mah
u go hi tea u make reservation under Dr Tan/Lee/Lim
u get a better table -
are u eating the table or the food?
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some doctors prefer the table closer to the food
some doctors prefer the table further away from the foodat rose verandaaa u get window seats
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i go NEX de DTF oso get window seat
bcos im ��
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you are still not a doctor
doctors can be Dr ��
�� may not be Dr �� -
Originally posted by PhdGuy:
"For an academic career puts a young man into a kind of embarrassing position by requiring him to produce scientific publications in impressive quantity - a seduction into superficiality which only strong characters are able to withstand."
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
"The implications of scientists, blindly searching for more empty knowledge, as pawns of the capitalists, guided by a philosophy of blind greed, creating new and better tools and toys for the rest of us, yields a rather uncomfortable image in my mind of the future of the human race."
- From “Rise of Scientific Philosophy”
Hans Reichenbach (1891 – 1953)
“The young student of physics today is doing his best to assimilate the heavy machinery of modern physics, which will enable him to write papers and become a respected member of the academic community. He has little time and inclination to speculate on the ultimate reality of the cosmos and its possible implications for an integrated world picture."
- Cornelius Lanczos (1893-1974)But phDguy, you have a phD ma right?
phD is prob only to hone ur research, analytical, presentation, (insert other relevant skills here) skills ma.
Can get phD shows that that person already super smart. No harm what.
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I find it entertaining to see that someone with a doctorate has actually written a reply to this topic. Hurhurhur.
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doctors cannot surf sgfourlum meh
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phD come spoil ppl's topic
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Originally posted by AngelOfDarkness:
But phDguy, you have a phD ma right?
phD is prob only to hone ur research, analytical, presentation, (insert other relevant skills here) skills ma.
Can get phD shows that that person already super smart. No harm what.
Thanks. But having a PhD doesn't mean I am 'smart'. In fact I am just an ordinary mortal like most people. Three years of number-crunching could have been put to better use. After all these years, nothing beats the feeling of sitting down with a good Physics book and reading it. And do I need a PhD to do so? No.
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Originally posted by PhdGuy:
Thanks. But having a PhD doesn't mean I am 'smart'. In fact I am just an ordinary mortal like most people. Three years of number-crunching could have been put to better use. After all these years, nothing beats the feeling of sitting down with a good Physics book and reading it. And do I need a PhD to do so? No.
Lol. Sure phD holders are ordinary mortals. But you chose to do a phD, you chose to further your education. That shows commitment, passion, willpower. =)
That's the diff between a phD holder and someone who didn't pursue education that far. And yea, one doesn't need a phD to study a good physics book, BUT the intellectual prowess/sharpness of mind that comes with having completed a phD proves very useful in analysing the contents of the book, doesn't it?
It gives you the ability to kind of 'read between the lines' and understand the book in a deeper fashion.
There isn't a need to discourage ppl from taking phD ma, those who are considering it are those who are serious about it and have given it a lot of thought.
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Originally posted by AngelOfDarkness:
Lol. Sure phD holders are ordinary mortals. But you chose to do a phD, you chose to further your education. That shows commitment, passion, willpower. =)
That's the diff between a phD holder and someone who didn't pursue education that far. And yea, one doesn't need a phD to study a good physics book, BUT the intellectual prowess/sharpness of mind that comes with having completed a phD proves very useful in analysing the contents of the book, doesn't it?
It gives you the ability to kind of 'read between the lines' and understand the book in a deeper fashion.
There isn't a need to discourage ppl from taking phD ma, those who are considering it are those who are serious about it and have given it a lot of thought.
I chose to do PhD because I thought all people who are passionate about science should naturally pursue academic work further. I disagree the 'intellectual prowess/sharpness of mind that comes with having completed a phD'. In fact, I become less sharp after completing my PhD. Imagine repeated computations and experimentations just to get the 'correct' results. One can still understand books in a 'deeper fashion' without a PhD through disciplined self-study.
The three great minds quoted above all have PhDs. Yet, they unanimously condemn the modern academia with its emphasis on 'empty scientific publications'. In fact, most great scientists are self-taught.
However, I am not 'discouraging' people from pursuing PhD. I just wish to give different viewpoints on the issue. Ultimately the decision is up to the individual. A lot has been written about this issue. See, for example, The Disposable Academic.
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what do you think of god concept? can you explain using physics on this age old question?
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so where do you obtained your PHD from? NUS?
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No comments on god. This is Physics forum.
My undergrad from NUS. Postgrad from Germany and USA.
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i9nvent
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Interesting. You studied in Germany :)
Wie geht's? Frohes neues Jahr! :)
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You happy can already.
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Originally posted by PhdGuy:
My undergrad from NUS. Postgrad from Germany and USA.
So, Singapore Phds and foreign Phds, what's your take on their strengths and weaknessess?
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Originally posted by PhdGuy:
I chose to do PhD because I thought all people who are passionate about science should naturally pursue academic work further. I disagree the 'intellectual prowess/sharpness of mind that comes with having completed a phD'. In fact, I become less sharp after completing my PhD. Imagine repeated computations and experimentations just to get the 'correct' results. One can still understand books in a 'deeper fashion' without a PhD through disciplined self-study.
The three great minds quoted above all have PhDs. Yet, they unanimously condemn the modern academia with its emphasis on 'empty scientific publications'. In fact, most great scientists are self-taught.
However, I am not 'discouraging' people from pursuing PhD. I just wish to give different viewpoints on the issue. Ultimately the decision is up to the individual. A lot has been written about this issue. See, for example, The Disposable Academic.
Oic.. Lol it's true that having a PhD will get you far in a place that values paper qualifications....eg Sg.
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Originally posted by Dalforce 1941:
So, Singapore Phds and foreign Phds, what's your take on their strengths and weaknessess?
Before commenting, I'd like to ask an interesting question:
Since 1990, Asians have won the International Physics Olympiad for over 2/3 of the time (China takes 1/2).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Physics_Olympiad
Why is it then that the West still produces many more Nobel laureates than Asia?