This is the 2-nd post out of the trilogy on: how knowing more can make us more happy & how to find the right balance (because knowing more can also make us extremely unhappy)
Is knowledge happiness? You can not ask this question to a Researcher. All we do is dealing with knowledge. So, this is basically our source of happiness, our daily motivator and joy and glory. Well, that’s it then, the question is sorted out.
Happiness and knowledge is sometimes seen as contradictory (at least in the academia). Discovering new things means in the first place to fail so many times and in the second place to struggle and most importantly to question everything and all the time, preferably.
Considering that the number of Researchers (PhDs included) in Europe and across the world is high and increasing and yet it is only in recent years that research has become a ‘paid job’, I find it important to clarify some things:
The EU has more researchers in absolute numbers than the US, Japan or China, but …
Researchers are: “Professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products, processes, methods and systems, and in the management of the projects concerned.” (European Commission’s definition). How much experience does an Experienced Researcher need to become “more experienced” if both a PhD and a Professor are Experienced Researchers?
It was in the German universities of the early 19th century that the “institutionalization of discovery” was integrated with teaching for the first time, after which it extended to England and the United States. It is not so much about the fact that an institutionalized version of research happened for the first time in Germany, although that is also good to know, but more about the curiosity to know how research came to be organized particularly this way, as many of us know it today (e.g. why do we write a PhD thesis, how did a PhD defence come about, who came up with the research seminars series) and why teaching came to be assigned together with a research position? (to be continued).
Inspired by the Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s book “Love during Cholera”, the title suggests that love during PhD exists 🙂 Without further drama, I would like to share with you some Valentine’s Day confessions that were cordially sent by friends and colleagues, who during their PhD happen to find their love on the way and the stories go like that… I really wanted to share with you some thoughts about love for the research we do, but I leave that for another time..
p.s. considering the delicacy of the day, I hope these stories will warm up your heart (at least a little bit). Happy Valentine’s Day! however you celebrate it <3
Thank you foR youR patience, the site is Ready on 14th of FebRuaRy 🙂 With love for RESEARCH, Researchista
