| Geology PhD here, caveat emptor: If you don't find research compelling, then don't go for a PhD. It's not worth it on any front--you'll be broke, stressed and miserable for years and then quite possibly quit with little to show for it. I think the concerns about a typical software engineering job not being interesting or allowing for intellectual growth or exploration are also overblown. Programming is pretty special in that there are a lot of different ways to do things, and the barrier to entry is incredibly low. If you're bored you can spend what work time you can get away with, and what personal time you have, and explore side channels or new approaches to optimizing parts of what you're already working on. Interactive theorem proving is indeed cool, but it's not the only thing out there, and if working on it comes with a certain lifestyle that you find untenable, then don't feel bad about passing on it. There are lots of cool things to do, and plenty of other trains to be one of the first aboard--just keep a look out while you're doing whatever you end up doing. Furthermore you can always go back and get a PhD unless other circumstances (i.e. kids and the need for a higher income) get in the way. That being said, I got a PhD and it definitely made my life more interesting, but I'm a committed research scientist and would rather do nothing else, so there weren't a lot of other options for me. |