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From: zdhm06@backus.uucp (Donald H. Mitchell)
Newsgroups: comp.ai,talk.philosophy.misc,soc.college
Subject: Re: Light duty philosophy only?
Message-ID: <1048@apctrc.UUCP>
Date: 25 Sep 89 18:54:33 GMT
References: <45694@bbn.COM> <45934@bbn.COM> <3457@tahiti.cs.glasgow.ac.uk> <45984@bbn.COM>
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Reply-To: zdhm06@backus.UUCP (Donald H. Mitchell)
Organization: Amoco Production Company, Tulsa Research Center
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[djoslin@bbn.com wrote about pursuing a Ph.D. in something related to
both philosophy and ai; then followed that note with a note saying he
met unexpected skepticism about employability if he gets a non-cs
degree.]

I thought so too when I started my Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology in
1980, but, lo and behold, everyone looks at me funny today when I say I
work in AI and have a Ph.D. in Psychology.  If you remember, Psychology
was a third of the original backbone for AI.

It's a tough world out there and university cs departments have more
than just AI people.  When a non-cs ph.d. shows up, even if the ai
people are enlightened, the compiler, operating systems, and ee (if it's
an eecs) won't give them the time of day.  I mean, a psychologist or
philosopher isn't even an engineer! :-)
Don Mitchell			dmitchell@trc.amoco.com
Amoco Production Company	(918) 660-4270
Tulsa Research Center
P.O. Box 3385, Tulsa, OK 74102