Jonathan Armstrong

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• March 31, 2003, on Career Guide for Engineers and Computer Scientists:

  Wow - there has been so much said here in such an articulate manner that it offers me a feeling of reassurance that there are actually a few people who not only possess the reductionist knowledge in order to obtain a PhD, but have not lost a critical perspective as well. Without getting too maudlin, these are the sort of people who have shaped history. Now, if you've read this far - and are either in graduate school, are thinking about graduate school, or can't understand why people who are posting here are upset - you need to read this book: _Disciplined Minds_ by Jeff Schmidt. If you'd often wondered how the seemingly most soulless, uncreative and uninspired students often seem to have less "problems" than those with bigger ideas, you need to read this book. (It's written by a real physics PhD, to boot.) If you want some insight as to how the "aerospace" (i.e., war) industry's intellectual trickle-down effect has managed to all but stop the continuation of pure science,...

• August 3, 2004, on Career Guide for Engineers and Computer Scientists:

  http://nber.nber.org/~peat/PapersFolder/Papers/SG/NSF.html To quote from this above article, "the effective premium for acquiring a PhD may in fact be negative." Of course this web site is blowing things out of proportion for humor's sake. However, the prospects for PhD graduates are getting worse in all ways, not better. Second of all, it has been well documented that the "pursuit of knowledge" factor in modern science is completely bogus. But you know, there are always going to be people who think it's fun doing the same mindless repetitive tasks for 80 hours a week. Good for them. Our wonderful modern era needs people like that. However, lots of things that are "fun" at a certain age become markedly less so as you move into your 30's and 40's and sweating the rent becomes a lot less fun and going to the pub with your buddies (sorry to you gals, but we're talking engineers & scientists here) for a beer and darts just ain't what it used to be. Trust me, when you are living ...