> Regarding the number of researchers, of all of my friends who got a PhD only a single one did it because he liked research.
This is sad; luckily for me the percentage is higher among my friends. I suspect your experience is closer to the statistical mean (perhaps because there's a good chance your friends are a few decades younger than me and many of my friends).
Also: I bailed out because I didn't like research, or rather because I very like the practice of research but only ever worked on super obscure things, and I wanted to make a difference I could see. Also I didn't want to have to deal with the culture of research funding and related bureaucracy. Not that there's anything wrong with those who do like that stuff! It just seemed not worth getting a doctorate; it definitely would have made some things easier but in retrospect I made the right call (for me!).
There is a lot of basic research done that does make a difference but where that difference is unknown to the original researcher -- perhaps separated too far in time. I have found value in decades-old PhD theses in the life sciences, mainly physiology.
> There is a lot of basic research done that does make a difference but where that difference is unknown to the original researcher -- perhaps separated too far in time. I have found value in decades-old PhD theses in the life sciences, mainly physiology.
Have you ever tried tracking down the author to express your appreciation? It might make their day (or month!).
This is sad; luckily for me the percentage is higher among my friends. I suspect your experience is closer to the statistical mean (perhaps because there's a good chance your friends are a few decades younger than me and many of my friends).
Also: I bailed out because I didn't like research, or rather because I very like the practice of research but only ever worked on super obscure things, and I wanted to make a difference I could see. Also I didn't want to have to deal with the culture of research funding and related bureaucracy. Not that there's anything wrong with those who do like that stuff! It just seemed not worth getting a doctorate; it definitely would have made some things easier but in retrospect I made the right call (for me!).
There is a lot of basic research done that does make a difference but where that difference is unknown to the original researcher -- perhaps separated too far in time. I have found value in decades-old PhD theses in the life sciences, mainly physiology.