Getting a PhD means that we can think, as we all have realized even before we get a PhD. Certain countries have a Dr of science, but not here. It also means that to some extent, we believe that all the disciplines have some common features that involve our cognitive domain. Some people say that those with a PhD have done so much thinking as to have a Permanent head Damage...here is a link for an interesting research area for a PhD, one that is very relevant today.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131124/education/Awarded-PhD-for-research-on-entrepreneurs-thinking-process.496092#
I partly disagree with Subhash C. Kundu. Research rather follows scientific methods! Undeniably, research involves reflective thinking (both deductive & inductive reasoning)!\
Right?
That journey/study/re-SEARCH of something deeper (thought process) , meaningful (scientific /invention/ Engg...) . To appreciate all disciplines/fields as it comes under one school of thought- called Philosophy - Free from confusion !!
The term Philosophy is used in a broader sense in context of academic matters. It is true that every subject has its own philosophy. It is considered to be the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a subject, with a view to improve or reconstitute these principles. In that sense, Doctor of Philosophy is a suitable name for that degree.
In Latin, doceo, docere, docui, doctum - means to learn. Literally, doctor means a teacher or a person who studies. Philosophy because it's "mother of all sciences". So, it is more academic than Doctor of Commerce, or Expert, or something like that. It is some kind of academic tradition and ancient (Greek) history.
What is in a name? Obviously, a lot! We define words and give meanings to them so that we can communicate well. Philosophy is knowledge? Philosophy has several meanings. In this context, it means the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, especially with a view to improving or reconstituting them. PhD is only one of many degrees that involve such "critical study." However, it is not about "philosophy", but about the "Doctorate," the highest degree awarded by a University (aka Graduate School).
As many already pointed out, there are several doctoral degrees: PhD (Doctor of Philosophy: also DPhil), DSc (Doctor of Science), LLB = BL = JD (Juris Doctor), JSD or SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of the Science of Law, Scientiae Juridicae Doctor), JCD (Doctor of Canon Law), MD (or DM, Doctor of Medicine), DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), DA or DArts (Doctor of Arts), DD (Doctor of Divinity or Divinitatis Doctor), EdD (Doctor of Education), ThD (Doctor of Theology), DPH (Doctor of Public Health), DWS (Doctor of Worship Studies), DOM (Doctor of Oriental Medicine), DCN (Doctor of Clinical Nutrition), DHE (Doctor of Health Education), DMgt (Doctor of Management), Doctor (Doctor Who, Time Lord), DMin (Doctor of Ministry), AuD (Doctor of Audiology), DHSc (Doctor of Health Science), DLS (Doctor of Liberal Studies), DIT (Doctor of Information Technology), STD (Sacrae Theologiae Doctor or Doctor of Sacred Theology), DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy), DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice), ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), DHM (Doctor of Homeopathic Medicine), DAM (Doctor of Ayurvedic Medicine), DAMS (Doctor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery), DCS (Doctor of Clinical Surgery), DAS (Doctor of Advanced Surgery), MChD (Medicinae ac Chirurgiae Doctoranda or Doctor of Medicine and Surgery), DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and so on and so forth.....
Whatever the the subject we are in expertise, the extreme level of its expertisation goes indepth of that particular subject... so all PhD studies are indepth into that subject... indepth means its 'philosophy' of particular topic.
1. There is a fundamental difference between art, commerce and pure science. Fields like Physics, Chemistry, Biology (PCB) are pure science. The knowledge in them can be proved experimentally. Fields like art and commerce are not pure science. We can't prove anything about them experimentally, we just devise certain methods to achieve results.
2. That apart, all the fields, including PCB, are interdisciplinary and can't be called pure science in that sense. For instance, the field of biology depends on many other fields like genetics, information technology, biochemistry, etc. Similarly, the field of commerce depends on many other fields like banking, law, information technology, etc. Hence, to call 'doctor of biology/commerce' may amount to defining the scope to biology/commerce only.
3. Further, all the fields are dynamic and ever changing. Even the person who is a scholar in that field earns the degree (PhD) only after doing research in that field, means after adding further knowledge in the field. This may support that fields' previous viewpoint(s) or negate the previous viewpoint(s) or add totally new viewpoint(s). This again points to the fact that knowledge any field is fluid, it is not constant thus is more of a philosophy rather than an eternal truth.
4. Furthermore, the basis for any experiment is hypothesis. The origin of hypothesis itself is philosophical. Once thought is there (philosophy), the person then tries to prove it (experiments, analyses). This leads to some results which then add to knowledge, again which is dynamic.
When the term 'philosophy' is used it will encompass all the above aspects. From this point of view, it would be more prudent to use the term PhD for even the fields like biology, instead of Doctor of science.
1. There is a fundamental difference between art, commerce and pure science. Fields like Physics, Chemistry, Biology (PCB) are pure science. The knowledge in them can be proved experimentally. Fields like art and commerce are not pure science. We can't prove anything about them experimentally, we just devise certain methods to achieve results.
2. That apart, all the fields, including PCB, are interdisciplinary and can't be called pure science in that sense. For instance, the field of biology depends on many other fields like genetics, information technology, biochemistry, etc. Similarly, the field of commerce depends on many other fields like banking, law, information technology, etc. Hence, to call 'doctor of biology/commerce' may amount to defining the scope to biology/commerce only.
3. Further, all the fields are dynamic and ever changing. Even the person who is a scholar in that field earns the degree (PhD) only after doing research in that field, means after adding further knowledge in the field. This may support that fields' previous viewpoint(s) or negate the previous viewpoint(s) or add totally new viewpoint(s). This again points to the fact that knowledge any field is fluid, it is not constant thus is more of a philosophy rather than an eternal truth.
4. Furthermore, the basis for any experiment is hypothesis. The origin of hypothesis itself is philosophical. Once thought is there (philosophy), the person then tries to prove it (experiments, analyses). This leads to some results which then add to knowledge, which again is dynamic.
When the term 'philosophy' is used it will encompass all the above aspects. From this point of view, it would be more prudent to use the term PhD for even the fields like biology, instead of Doctor of science.
1. There is a fundamental difference between art, commerce and pure science. Fields like Physics, Chemistry, Biology (PCB) are pure science. The knowledge in them can be proved experimentally. Fields like art and commerce are not pure science. We can't prove anything about them experimentally, we just devise certain methods to achieve results.
2. That apart, all the fields, including PCB, are interdisciplinary and can't be called pure science in that sense. For instance, the field of biology depends on many other fields like genetics, information technology, biochemistry, etc. Similarly, the field of commerce depends on many other fields like banking, law, information technology, etc. Hence, to call 'doctor of biology/commerce' may amount to defining the scope to biology/commerce only.
3. Further, all the fields are dynamic and ever changing. Even the person who is a scholar in that field earns the degree (PhD/DSc) only after doing research in that field, means after adding further knowledge in the field. This may support that fields' previous viewpoint(s) or negate the previous viewpoint(s) or add totally new viewpoint(s). This again points to the fact that knowledge any field is fluid, it is not constant thus is more of a philosophy rather than an eternal truth.
4. Furthermore, the basis for any experiment is hypothesis. The origin of hypothesis itself is philosophical. Once thought is there (philosophy), the person then tries to prove it (experiments, analyses). This leads to some results which then add to knowledge, which again is dynamic.
When the term 'philosophy' is used it will encompass all the above aspects. From this point of view, it would be more prudent to use the term PhD for even the fields like biology, instead of Doctor of science.
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