If difficult is interesting, then yes. Getting a PhD will make your life waaaay more interesting.
Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
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Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
> has little to no value in industry. So what ? It has great value to history and humankind.
I find that to be a funny statement. Would you actually argue that every single phd has "great value to history and humankind"?
I find it sad when people have no other metric of value other than $$$. "I can't sell this, what is this?"
Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#73In 2011 I was buying a Ford Mustang and I had to make the decision whether to upgrade to the V8 engine. It was $10K more (+ extra fuel) and the V6 already had 300+ horsepower. I just couldn't justify it. Eight years later, the car runs great, and it still even gets some complements. I never once needed any extra power! But when someone asks me, "Does it have the V8?" I have to tell them, "Naw, it's just the V6." At t…
For some people, the V8 means much more...the sound, the torque, and perhaps most importantly, a stronger platform for tuning and power that a V6 simply cannot offer.
Perhaps people doing PhDs also have different motives and intentions for how to use them.
Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#74Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#75I don't recommend doing PhD in "theorem proving" as I don't see a lot of industry demand for it. Machine learning, statistics, optimisation, ... all better choices (if you know you're not going to stay in academia). Having said that, I'd apply for PhDs in other countries as well. Hopefully some would offer you a place directly, not "1 year of free work that will potentially (a.k.a. "not") lead to a PhD opportunity".
Side note: there is some industrial use (and interesting work) for theorem proving in software verification and cybersecurity.
Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#76This is something I'm struggling with too. I'm about to finish the masters part of my US based PhD and I like my adviser and love what I'm studying, but the lab's culture (or lack thereof) is really isolating. I'm not sure if it's a case of "the grass is always greener" or if I really should push though and finish up my program.
Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#77If you're already feeling a bit burnt out, an interesting hobby (HN probably has a lot of good suggestions) and a decent job would probably lead to a more satisfying near future. What seems like an enticing job can lose its luster in a year or two anyways and the financial security you'll get from 4-5 extra years of wages will go a long ways.
Imagine two years down the line: with a job you could be looking to buy / living in your first house, or you could be maybe half way done your PhD.
Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#78I have a PhD (in mech engineering) and work in industry.
My experience was that I basically had to pick up a new physics set and tool set every year as I jumped from algorithm development, to constitutive model development, machine learning, and quantum computing. In all cases they were tackling problems in different areas: new toolset to learn, new math to learn and new physics to learn. I thoroughly enjoy working on research problems, however I felt that there was a lot working on made up problems and forcing a square pegs into round holes so we could declare success to the funding agency when really it was a probably worse way to tackle the problem than industry standard.
Pros: I was forced to ride a learning curve with a new skill set and new area of expertise every year. I have learning to pick up skills very quickly.
I took a lot of cross discipline classes in physics, mechanical engineering, mathematics, scientific computing, chemical engineering, and materials engineering. I have a large amount of cross discipline knowledge.
I found the work fun and I basically had no boss which was nice.
The downside: I worked 60 hours a week for $20,000/year for 5 years. Lost wages ~ $500,000
The tools and skills I developed for my PhD only peripherally translate to the work I do in industry.
Advice: Get a job, the PhD will be waiting for you in 2 years if you decide you want it then. Plus it sounds like you are thinking about getting a PhD because looking for a job is hard.
Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#79Earlier quoted context omitted.
> has little to no value in industry. So what ? It has great value to history and humankind.
Well if it has no value to industry, chances are it has no real value to history/humankind other than "oh that's kind of interesting"
Value isn't always apparent immediately. Quantum theory seemed largely useless, but now it's useful in computing.
Re: Ask HN: Will getting a PhD lead to a more interesting life?
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
I find that to be a funny statement. Would you actually argue that every single phd has "great value to history and humankind"?
I find it sad when people have no other metric of value other than $$$. "I can't sell this, what is this?"
I agree with you on the point that money is overemphasized, but does a PhD really mean you're more likely to add great value to history and humankind?