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
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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
