Norm,
Thanks for expressing what many of us believe is the essence of the
Ph.D. in any field of inquiry. What you have described was the guiding
instruction I received at the University of Chicago when I began my own
doctoral study--and it was the only reason I had for seeking the degree:
to fulfill a personal exploration for better understanding of something
that I had experienced many years before. Study for the Ph.D. is a
remarkably personal experience, gradually validated and objectified by
the mind grappling with difficult problems and seeking the best
answers--the answers most grounded and defensible, as we are given the
light to see. Aided by a master, who shares what he can, we slowly find
our place in a very complex world. If we are very fortunate, our work
may also help others to do the same.
Dick
Richard Buchanan, Ph.D.
Professor and Head
School of Design
Carnegie Mellon University
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