Why to get a PhD? Insights Beyond ChatGPT’s Intelligence
On June 19th, 2024, Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer at OpenAI, claimed that the next generation of ChatGPT would possess “PhD-level intelligence.” This statement quickly became a target of online ridicule and incited sarcastic existential dread among already stressed PhD students. While it’s uncertain whether this will actually happen — and I am sure someone will devise a clever little benchmark to compare ChatGPT with PhD students over some trivial test and call it “A Degree is All you (don’t) Need” — this prediction is not my main concern. What troubles me most is the implication that earning a PhD equates to achieving a certain arbitrary level of intelligence, or a PhD would boost your intelligence to that level.
Of course, getting a PhD requires a certain level of intelligence. There is no denying that. But that’s a given. Almost everyone who applies for a PhD has the appropriate level. I have not heard of any admission committees sorting PhD applications on their predicted IQ scores (although I have seen one application mention their IQ on their CV). Besides, intelligence is not strictly linear with degree. I have been fortunate enough to meet undergrads with dazzling problem-solving abilities that could compare with the smartest PhDs. I have also seen successful PhD students who you would not automatically consider intelligent (in the way that Hollywood portrays intelligence).
By all accounts, getting a PhD might not even be the most intelligent thing you can do, especially in STEM. You sacrifice five years of life with minimal pay and little to no external validation. All this while your friends who tapped out after a Master’s degree share pictures of perfect homes and perfect lives. To make matters worse, being surrounded by highly functional people at all times follows with a sense of inadequacy that only metastasizes. After everything, even if you succeed, there’s no guarantee of landing your dream job, and you may never recoup the financial losses from sacrificing your most potentially lucrative years. So, if you are truly intelligent, why would you want to go through this?
When asked by a reporter why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, George Mallory famously replied, “Because it’s there.” Tragically, Mallory did not succeed and paid the ultimate price, losing his life in his 1924 attempt. However, a century later, he is still remembered for the romanticism of his pursuit. I find this romanticism a worthy reason to get a PhD — because you have to, because it makes sense, or because you don’t know anything else. The cautionary tale of Mallory does remind us that this drive, although admirable, might not be the most prudent reason. It’s still compelling. If getting a PhD is your Everest, and you are determined, you will get it. But therein lies a paradox: once you have scaled the highest peak, where do you go next? This void, this “post-PhD emptiness,” can be as daunting as the climb itself, with the come-down equally disorienting.
A PhD might not be your ultimate goal, but rather a means to become a Professor or Research Scientist. In this context, a doctorate serves as a necessary step towards fulfilling a lifelong purpose — a compelling reason to endure five years of rigorous work. If this aligns with your aspirations, you will achieve your PhD. Consider the parallel with Marvin Hagler, the middleweight boxing champion from 1980 to 1987. Renowned for his powerful punches and ferocious style, Hagler curiously held utter disdain for the sport. Growing up in a tough neighborhood, he viewed boxing as a path to financial stability. For Hagler, the rewards justified the risks. However, for many boxers, there are no substantial rewards. Yet, they face a staggering 40% risk of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), resulting in permanent brain damage. This is not to say that a PhD will give you brain damage — I have no first-hand empirical evidence to suggest this. However, if you treat it solely as a means to an end, you might inflict lasting damage to your mental health. Spending years doing something you can’t wait to finish is hardly a recipe for happiness. Moreover, this approach risks fostering negativity that can perpetuate in the endless cycle from student to advisor and back to student.
For those consumed by a research question, spending every waking moment in reflection, these reasons might seem superficial. The idea is to find a topic so significant it weaves into the very fabric of your being, demanding not just your PhD years but your entire life. For Marie Curie, the pioneering scientist, the topic was radioactivity. From her early work to her later years, Curie conducted groundbreaking research despite immense personal and professional challenges, including gender biases and severe health risks from prolonged radiation exposure. Her relentless pursuit led her to two Nobel Prizes in different scientific fields — Physics and Chemistry. However, this success came at a great cost to her health, ultimately leading to her death from aplastic anemia, a condition caused by radiation exposure. Curie’s story illustrates the power and the potential pitfalls of such an all-consuming passion. If this way of meaning-making sounds appealing to you, you will get your PhD. However, it’s worth pondering whether this single-mindedness contributes to a well-lived life.
Perhaps the ideal way of achieving a PhD is to combine Mallory’s drive, Hagler’s pragmatism, and Curie’s curiosity while maintaining a balanced perspective on life outside academia. This blend can help you achieve your dream job, recognition in your field, and financial success. Even if pursued individually, these qualities can lead to a successful PhD at the very least. If you come in with realistic expectations and a sense of purpose, you might even find joy and fulfillment in your PhD journey. But intelligence alone would leave you nowhere.
So ChatGPT might indeed attain “PhD-level Intelligence,” but it won’t earn a PhD. The journey toward a doctorate is as much about perseverance, creativity, and human experience as it is about raw intelligence. It’s about asking the right questions, not just providing answers. While AI can certainly assist in research, the spark of curiosity, the drive to uncover new knowledge, the ability to see connections where none existed before, and even the seemingly irrational decision to pursue a PhD — remain uniquely human traits.
