From: Robin Hanson (hanson@econ.berkeley.edu)
Date: Mon Dec 14 1998 - 11:34:11 MST
Damien Broderick wrote:
>I solved this sideways by going into a seminary for a couple of years,
>before escaping to university and a life of sin. But the legacy of my
>totally fucked schooling meant that I didn't get my PhD until I was in
>my forties, and it's a bit late in the day to start a career as a
>professional philosopher at that stage.
Well now that explains a few things about you! Yes, it is hard for
older students to start an academia career, but if they succeed I think
they bring with them valuable perspective and spunk. Older students
seem less likely to mold themselves to fit the standard personality and
style of their discipline, and seem less likely to internalize the
discipline's ideas of what the interesting questions are. While these
are seen as negatives in junior people, they become "creativity" and
other positives in more senior people.
Robin Hanson
hanson@econ.berkeley.edu http://hanson.berkeley.edu/
RWJF Health Policy Scholar FAX: 510-643-8614
140 Warren Hall, UC Berkeley, CA 94720-7360 510-643-1884
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