January 17, 2008

Ph.D. in Correspondence

The latest Ph.D. Comics...



Believe it or not, few days back I came across a similar situation. I was talking to a faculty (I am CA (class assistant..help him design the course work etc.) for his class) when he tells me that he will be soon teaching the class under discussion in India. He is actually going to my old company (did I mention, I used to work and earn well before, for some unknown reasons, I decided to pursue Ph.D.?). So I was obviously curious. When he realized that I used to work for that company, he mentioned the name of his contact person.

Now I know this contact person but not as a colleague in that company albeit as my classmate during my master. I had no idea that he had joined this company (can't say my company any longer though the urge is compelling). Anyways, as we were discussing him, the Professor mentioned that he was interested in earning a Ph.D. degree and had asked him that if its possible for him to do so part-time by correspondence?

Ok, I think I try pretty hard to abstain from famous 'Stanford Arrogance' but please this is Stanford. And you are talking about a Ph.D., for crying out loud. It's not about cramming few lessons and passing an exam. It's about maturing up as a scientist...to be able to approach and solve a problem in a scientific way independently. Its not a test about how much you know (or rather memorize...sorry but I know this guy personally and hence know the way he used to get good grades back then) but how you approach something where you don't know anything, where there are no precedents. Ph.D. affects your personality, the way you observe things and approach the problem. There is a reason why its called "Doctor of Philosophy" and not a Master in Science or Art or a specific field. How can this be taught over correspondence, that too part-time?

3 comments:

  1. This does not bind very well for a Ph.D student, when they receive some critical analysis of their comments they erase them??

    At least if you are going to host a blog you should allow posts from both agreeing parties and critical ones too.

    If you have any backbone at all, re-post my comments from last night and "defend" your position on your statements, good practice for your thesis defense if nothing else!

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  2. Me not having a backbone when you are commenting anonymously? And this is my blog, I am not binded by any rules here. I can live anyway I want to in my house. If you don't like it, don't come here. I never asked you to. I don't write this for you or expect anyone to read or comment on it, I do it for my own amusement.

    Moreover, I don't have anything to defend. i expressed my views and you didn't like them. I don't assume everyone to agree with my opinions. As I don't expect me to agree with theirs. The reason I didn't reply before is because you digressed from the point of the post and went on the personal insults, like you are doing now. Difference in opinion I can tolerate, but not personal insults. And personally insulting someone is not called critical analysis. Just FYI. These comment will be deleted by tomorrow too and I will appreciate no further communication with you.

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  3. Hey Annon Mate, critical views, uh ?? Sure about that ?? Blog owner takes the call I s'pose. As for your apparent rudeness and inappropriate flaunting of your lexicon, it's only best she deletes your comment than nothing else while you go looking about for a much needed class in courtesy to sign up !

    ReplyDelete