What exactly is a doctorate of philosophy?

Question

I don't mean the phd I mean the doctorate. What does it entail? A research assignment on philosophy or what?

I still don't get it. How can a doctorate of philosophy have nothing to do with philosophy? What then stipulates what you studied on your certificate?

Walter A. Haas School of Business, University of California: is that really you Mr Taranto?

Answer 1

It is the most advanced degree that you can get in a field.

The PhD usually involves two to four years of classwork after a Bachelor's degree. Most schools require a written comprehensive exam (mine lasted two days), an oral exam, a dissertation (usually book length) showing original and important research. Most schools then require a defense of the dissertation -- where you present it to your committee, who can ask questions about it. For some reason, my school (Berkeley) didn't require this).

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To answer your second question -- it is true that we no longer think of fields like literature, biology, engineering as Philosophy -- but a few centuries everything was considered Philosophy. Newton didn't do physics -- he did Philosophy of Nature (for example). The PhD is a holdover from those days. Some schools do give out D.Ed (doctor of education), DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) or D Sc (doctor of science) -- but these are equivalent degrees.

To answer your third question -- yes, it is really me.

You also ask what it says on my 'certificate' -- my diploma says:

The Regents of The University of California
On the nomination of the graduate council of the Berkeley Division
Have conferred upon
Mark Allen Taranto
Having demonstrated ability by original research
In Business Administration
The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
with all the rights and privileges thereto pertaining
Given at Berkeley
This nineteenth day of May in the Year Two-Thousand-and-one

Then it is signed by four people, including Gray Davis. If only I had held out for Arnold.

Answer 2

2 possibilities. if you mean "doctor" of philosophy, it's the advanced degree (also known as PhD) you receive from a university after doing a bunch of course work, writing a thesis (research paper) and "defending the thesis" in front of a committee. the field of study could be anything- geography, philosophy, math, etc.

if you mean "doctorate" of philosophy, it would be a PhD with a specialty in philosophy.

Answer 3

Philosophy ability asking questions. you are able to not purely become a certainty seeker, you are able to desire to have the potential to be shocked at issues, that look very commonplace to different human beings. the main properly-known asked questions, which philosphers ask, are: How did the international start up? Is there a feeling in it? How can residing come into being? How considerable is the single person for the international? some human beings quite think of roughly those questions, yet others do purely no longer care approximately them. in case you do no longer care approximately those questions, you will in no way become a certainty seeker! ;) a considerable component to be attentive to approximately philosphy is, which you will in no way get solutions on your questions, you are able to purely speculate. a sturdy e book approximately philosophy is "Sofies Welt" (sorry, it is the German call simply by fact i'm from Germany, and that i don't be attentive to the English one) from Jostein Gaarder. There the philosphy is defined very sturdy and in case you study it, you will see quickly, in case you are able to become a certainty seeker or no longer. :)

Answer 4

No, it doesn't have to be about philosophy at all. Any person who wants that doctoral degree in arts and sciences will be a Ph.D. The only exceptions are those specials ones like M.D., D.F.A., and other pre-professional areas.

Answer 5

A PhD is a post-graduate degree that can be earned in many disciplines. It is usually obtained in non-scientific fields, or liberal arts.

For example, I have a BA in English and a MA in writing. My final degree would be, most likely, a PhD in English or Education.

Answer 6

An excuse to pretend to be an expert.