Posted by
Steve Smith on
Oct 12, 2010; 3:44pm
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/vol-88-issue-12-tp5627122p5627250.html
Peggy -
I agree with the sentiment that having a PhD doesn't guarantee
Expertise, having only a (pair of) BS degree myself and having
learned a great deal (most?) of what I use to do my work in the
school of hard knocks preceding and following (and paralleling) my
formal education. But I don't know of any PhD programs that don't
require original and elaborate research.
Despite my own distrust of the PhD mills of the country, I have
found, as a mentor to many PhD candidates and PostDocs in my career
(at least in Math/Science/CS) that while memorization skills might
be handy to get you through many of your undergrad courses and even
some grad courses, they won't do your research and they won't write
your dissertation, nor defend it in front of your committee.
Again, I agree with the sentiment that one can be quite an expert
sans formal advanced degrees. I myself depend more on being a
generalist with only "modest" expertise in any given field. For
many topics, I love having access to seasoned as well as
recently-minted PhDs in various technical fields, they often spent
several years of their lives studying the one thing in depth that I
need to know a lot about and either know most of the dead ends or
have one slam-dunk of a solution to my particular problem of the
moment.
The seasoned ones are usually my peers or superiors, though there
are plenty who took their little scroll of paper, nailed it on the
wall (in a very nice frame usually) and never did another lick of
original work. The fresh ones are often sharpened to a fine point,
but have no breadth, but that is where real work and mentors like
myself come in. We introduce them to a wide range of problems where
their acute knowledge on one topic, basic background preparing them
for their PhD program, and their general skills in research can be
applied over and over again, leading them to becoming well rounded,
seasoned experts.
Bozos like myself who chose not to get drug through another several
years of formal education may or may not go on to become competitive
with the PhDs. I'm often mistaken for having a PhD, probably not
for any specific deep expertise, but for my breadth of interests and
skills and my confidence. I sometimes take offense because too many
of the PhDs in my (former) circles were lazy blowhards, but the
mistaken identity is (almost?) always an indication of respect, not
derision.
In the liberal arts, PhDs may very well mean something else, but I
hope not. Since most PhDs in Liberal Arts have few other options
than Academia, that may skew things a bit. I'm not sure how
Industry uses LIberal Arts PhDs... gone are the good old days of
AI when a PhD in Philosophy would land you a job in AI Research.
Few of my best mentors have had PhDs. So when looking for a course
or seminar or workshop, I don't look at the letters following the
teacher/leader/professor's name. If I look at anything, I look for
references from others who have studied under her... I look for
real-world experience.... I look for an enthusiasm for the
subject.
In Nick's case, I think that he has reasons for wanting PhD folks
that transcend the question of whether a non-PhD could do the same
job equally well or better. It slims his options down mightily.
The folks I know of who might lead such a seminar are "amatuers" in
the very best sense.... limited formal education with a lifetime of
dedication and self-study on the topic out of "love" for the topic,
not people who had the resources our patience to make it through a
formal program.
Carry on,
- Steve
To Nick Thompson re "expertise"
The ability to memorize and quote things is not, in and of itself,
expertise. It is simple a great ability to memorize.
--
Peggy Miller, owner/OEO
Highland Winds
Art, Photography, Herbs and Writings
406-541-7577 (home/office/shop)
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FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at
http://www.friam.org