博士課程の話の続き

84 Comments

前回書いた文章は思いがけず多くの人に読んでもらったみたいです。普段は場末の個人ブログなので驚きました。ありがとうございました。

読み返したら何とも長い文章でしたが「教育の目的」という大きな話をしたので、少し地に足がついていない感じもありました。前回の続きを少し書きますが、博士課程のときの自分の心理状態の変化について書くことで、どうして博士課程が自分に良いトレーニングだったか説明したいと思います。基本的には前回と全く同じ主張をしたいのですが、前回をトップダウン的な説明とすれば、今回はボトムアップ的な説明と言えるかもしれません。「本当に正しいことは複数の説明の方法がある」みたいな名言があった気もするので、冗長なのはお許しいただき、興味があればお付き合い下さい。

私は理学系の博士課程にいたのですが、博士課程の大部分では技術的なことを学びました。技術的なこと、というのは自分の専門に関連した知識とか、実験技術などです。特定の専門分野で新しいものを生み出すのが、博士号の条件です。ですから過去にどんな知識の積み重ねがあり、どんな研究がなされてきたかを知っていることが重要です。その上で、自分がやったことが過去の事例とどのように違ってて、どんな意味・価値があるのかを説明できる必要があります。そういう説明ができるためには、特定の分野での知識は前提です。こういった話は大学院にいる人には知られたことなので、前回の文章では知識を学ぶこと自体の必要性はことさら強調しませんでした。念を押して言いますと、知識はもちろん大事なことです。「答えのない問題を考えることが大事」みたいな主張は一理ありますが、考えることは、知識を獲得することの対立軸ではありません。（日本では、詰め込みではなく考える力を、みたいな言説が多いですが、その２つはどちらも伸ばすものだと思います。）学術研究をしたいなら知識が足りない状態で考えるのは非効率ですし、博士課程に入ったばかりの普通の人はガリ勉の詰め込み教育がスタート地点です。過去の知識の積み重ねがなければ、何が重要で新しいか知ることも難しいです。

私が先回の文章で長々と書いたのは、 博士課程の間に自分が学んだ「物事の考え方」や「物事に取り組む姿勢」とも言えます。それは学問分野や仕事内容に関わらず、応用できるものだと思います。さらに言えば、それは学問や仕事をするかにも関わらず、もっと広くて、日々を生きることにも応用できると思いました。外的な価値に翻弄されているか、内的な価値が定まっているかという違いです。他人が興味を持った課題に取り組むか、自分が興味を持った課題に取り組むかの違いです。大学院に入りたての頃は前者の考え方をしていて、途中で変化があって、卒業する頃には後者の考え方に近くなりました。その変化の過程は苦しいのですが、一度後者寄りの考え方ができるようになると、前者よりもずっと楽だと思いました。

私は博士課程ではアメリカに留学していました。アメリカの博士課程は 5 年から 7 年の長丁場です。最初の数年は授業が難しいのもありますが、それより「自分で課題設定をして、その重要さを説明する」ことが難しいと思いました。自分で課題を考えるのが大変だし、自分の考えた課題が正しいかなんてわからないので、すでにやられていることのコピーをしたいと思っていました。正直なところ、自分で課題を見つけろなんて言われても、何からどうすれば良いのかわからないのです。俺って頭悪いな、つまんないことしか選べていないな、人生つまんねーな、と毎日のように思っていました。

いつだったか日本人の先輩との雑談で「そういうクサった時期も込みでの 7 年じゃないの」と話したのを覚えています。振り返れば全くその通りだし、今ならくすぶっている後輩に同じようなアドバイスをすると思います[ref]誰が読んでるか知りませんが、頑張って下さい。そういう時期はいずれ乗り越えられます。[/ref]。でも当時は心中穏やかではありませんでした。

留学中の友人の中には、私が全く解法を思い付かないような数学の問題を見て、一瞬で解法を思いつくような「賢い人」がたくさんいました。こういう人と競争すると、同じ問題を解けば、彼らの方が「デキる」のは間違いありません。これは前述の言葉を使えば、同じ問題を解く速さと言う「外的な価値」を尺度として用いています。こういう人とその尺度で勝負したら、人生がいくつあっても足りません。ところで、研究生活では「その問題が自分にとって重要か」というところから考えます。たまたまテストに出てた難しい数学の問題が自分にとって重要な問題であることは実は少ないのですが、じゃあ何が自分にとって重要な（面白い、興味を持てる、でも良いです）問題なのでしょうか。そこがスタート地点で、賢い人はその人の課題と意義を見つけ、私は私の課題と意義を見つけるのが第一歩です。前述の言葉を使えば、賢い人も私も、それぞれの「内的な価値」を探すことになります。こういう「自分の問題を探すこと」は、誰にとっても同じように難しいのです。これは文字で書くと何てことないのですが、最初に自分で気付いたときには、とても面白いことだと思いました。そして、自分よりずっと賢い人も苦労しているのを見て「ああ、そういうものなんだな」と思いました。

とはいえ、人生はマンガではありませんので、一瞬で自分の心境が変わるような転機に遭遇して、それから急に上手くいくような話はありません。自分の場合は、一進一退を繰り返し、くすぶった毎日と、たまに週末のやけ酒を重ねました。少しずつですが、外的な価値から内的な価値へ軸足がうつってきたのが、私の地味でさえない博士課程でした。そして、地味でさえない博士課程でしたが、やって良かったと思います。

ゆっくりではあるけど、そのような変化が起こった理由がなんだろうかと考えると、やはり研究の中で「自分のやってることは何故重要で、何故意味があるか」みたいな禅問答を繰り返し行ったからだと思います。さらに、最終的に自分のやってることが大事である、というのが自分の意見になったからだと思います。一般的な意見と自分の意見は，仮に内容は同じであっても，自分にとっては明確に違うものだから，それをごまかさないのは重要なことでした。

この変化を経たことが私にとって「博士課程で学んで、人生に（最も）役立っていること」です。専門知識、技術的なノウハウ、論文発表、博士号自体などは、もちろん全て実利的なメリットがありましたし、微力ながら人類の知の積み重ねに貢献できた喜びもあります。でも、もし自分が博士課程をやって一番良かったことを挙げるなら、このように自分の価値の基準が変わったことを挙げるでしょう。周りと比べながら「自分の考えはつまんない」と思ってたのが「自分の考えが面白いと思う理由は、自分が決めていい」と変われるなんて、何てポジティブな心境の変化ではないでしょうか？

また長くなってしまったけど、まとめると、自分の価値の基準を得て、それを表明することや、批判されることを恐れなくなったのが博士課程であり、その点をすごく良かったと考えています。とはいえ、博士課程は万人受けするトレーニングではないのも確かです。自分の経験はサンプル数 1 の話なので、博士課程経験者も、博士課程なんて見向きもしない人も、それぞれの人の人生に即した心境変化のきっかけがあると思います。学生を指導する立場になった今、自分の学生が考え方の変化を必要とするなら、それを促すサポートをしたいし、それが自分の役割だとも思います。（特に博士課程の学生にとって、研究テーマが上から降ってきたのではなく、自分でそれを見つけたと思えることは、必要な意識の変化でもあります。）私は自分の経験から、研究活動が意識の変化のきっかけになり得ると思っていますが、世の中の人にはどんなことがきっかけになり得るのか、興味があるところです。

84 thoughts on “博士課程の話の続き”

  1. Pingback: 大学生活の意味〜学びの観点から〜

  6. I wanted to construct a simple comment in order to express gratitude to you for all of the stunning information you are sharing at this site. My incredibly long internet search has at the end been rewarded with wonderful points to talk about with my best friends. I ‘d suppose that most of us visitors actually are unquestionably endowed to be in a good place with so many awesome people with useful suggestions. I feel extremely happy to have come across the site and look forward to some more entertaining moments reading here. Thank you once again for everything.

  7. My wife and i were ecstatic when Louis could deal with his investigation using the ideas he had in your web page. It is now and again perplexing to just happen to be giving for free secrets men and women could have been trying to sell. We really acknowledge we have the website owner to appreciate because of that. The specific explanations you’ve made, the straightforward web site navigation, the relationships you will give support to promote – it’s got everything overwhelming, and it’s really aiding our son in addition to us reason why this theme is thrilling, and that’s especially pressing. Many thanks for the whole lot!

  8. I precisely had to thank you very much once more. I’m not certain what I would have carried out in the absence of these pointers contributed by you over this situation. Completely was the depressing scenario in my view, nevertheless taking note of the well-written strategy you treated it made me to leap with joy. I will be grateful for your support and wish you find out what an amazing job that you are getting into training men and women all through a blog. Most probably you haven’t got to know all of us.

  9. I truly wanted to write down a note to appreciate you for all of the remarkable guides you are placing at this website. My rather long internet investigation has at the end of the day been paid with high-quality content to share with my good friends. I ‘d believe that we visitors actually are undoubtedly fortunate to dwell in a notable community with many wonderful individuals with useful opinions. I feel pretty blessed to have discovered the webpage and look forward to many more entertaining moments reading here. Thank you once again for all the details.

  10. A lot of thanks for each of your efforts on this site. Ellie take interest in engaging in internet research and it’s really simple to grasp why. My spouse and i know all of the dynamic means you convey powerful tactics on this web site and as well as welcome participation from website visitors about this concept plus my child is always becoming educated so much. Have fun with the rest of the year. Your conducting a brilliant job.

  11. I as well as my buddies were viewing the nice secrets located on the blog then before long I got a terrible suspicion I never thanked the web blog owner for them. Most of the women appeared to be for this reason excited to see them and have now definitely been using these things. I appreciate you for actually being really kind as well as for picking some useful guides millions of individuals are really desperate to be aware of. Our honest regret for not expressing appreciation to you earlier.

  12. I have to show my thanks to you for bailing me out of this particular scenario. Because of scouting through the search engines and meeting ideas which are not beneficial, I was thinking my life was over. Being alive without the presence of strategies to the issues you’ve fixed by way of the write-up is a critical case, and those which might have negatively damaged my career if I hadn’t noticed your blog. Your own personal capability and kindness in controlling everything was precious. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t discovered such a point like this. It’s possible to now look forward to my future. Thanks a lot so much for the specialized and sensible help. I will not hesitate to suggest the sites to any individual who ought to have assistance about this problem.

  13. Thanks so much for giving everyone remarkably special opportunity to discover important secrets from here. It is usually very kind plus stuffed with a good time for me and my office peers to visit your website at the very least three times a week to read the newest issues you have got. And of course, I am at all times happy with all the very good secrets you give. Some 1 facts in this posting are completely the best I have had.

  14. I am writing to let you understand of the fine discovery my wife’s girl enjoyed browsing your site. She came to find many things, which include how it is like to have an excellent giving style to let other people without difficulty fully understand specified hard to do topics. You undoubtedly surpassed my expectations. Thanks for coming up with those interesting, trusted, edifying and as well as cool guidance on the topic to Gloria.

  15. I simply wanted to send a small remark so as to appreciate you for all of the remarkable techniques you are posting here. My extensive internet look up has at the end of the day been recognized with good facts and techniques to write about with my family. I would state that that we site visitors are unequivocally lucky to be in a fantastic community with many special people with very helpful methods. I feel very lucky to have encountered your web site and look forward to tons of more excellent times reading here. Thanks once more for all the details.

  16. I intended to draft you this tiny word just to thank you very much as before over the beautiful strategies you have shared at this time. It has been really surprisingly open-handed with you to make unreservedly what a lot of folks could have made available as an ebook in order to make some profit for themselves, even more so given that you could possibly have done it if you ever considered necessary. Those guidelines additionally acted like a easy way to fully grasp many people have the same zeal much like my very own to find out way more in terms of this problem. I believe there are a lot more pleasurable instances in the future for people who check out your blog post.

  17. Thanks a lot for giving everyone an extremely nice possiblity to read articles and blog posts from this blog. It is always so great and also stuffed with amusement for me and my office peers to search your blog at minimum thrice weekly to study the new stuff you have. And definitely, I am just certainly pleased with the attractive creative concepts you give. Some two facts in this article are rather the simplest we’ve ever had.

  18. I intended to draft you this very little word to be able to say thanks a lot yet again on your fantastic views you have shared at this time. It has been really strangely generous with you to allow easily what many of us might have made available for an e-book to generate some cash for themselves, particularly since you might well have done it in the event you wanted. Those suggestions additionally acted to provide a good way to be aware that other people have similar dreams much like mine to realize way more in terms of this problem. I believe there are numerous more enjoyable times in the future for individuals who look over your website.

  19. I precisely wanted to appreciate you all over again. I do not know the things that I could possibly have created in the absence of these pointers revealed by you about that theme. It became the frightful setting in my opinion, but seeing a well-written fashion you processed it made me to jump for happiness. Now i’m happier for the assistance and thus sincerely hope you find out what a great job you are always getting into educating men and women thru your blog. I know that you’ve never got to know all of us.

  20. I am also commenting to make you be aware of what a beneficial encounter our girl obtained studying your blog. She learned many things, which include what it’s like to possess a great giving style to make men and women just have an understanding of specific hard to do subject matter. You truly surpassed readers’ expected results. Thanks for coming up with such useful, trustworthy, educational and in addition cool tips on your topic to Jane.

  21. A lot of thanks for all of your work on this blog. My mom really likes engaging in investigation and it’s really easy to see why. My partner and i learn all concerning the dynamic manner you give simple tricks on this blog and even invigorate contribution from some other people on that issue while our child has always been being taught a great deal. Take pleasure in the rest of the year. You are conducting a tremendous job.

  22. I wanted to type a simple remark to be able to appreciate you for all the lovely tactics you are sharing here. My prolonged internet look up has now been recognized with beneficial information to exchange with my friends and classmates. I would state that that we website visitors are unequivocally blessed to be in a very good community with so many wonderful people with beneficial techniques. I feel quite happy to have seen your web site and look forward to plenty of more awesome minutes reading here. Thanks a lot once again for a lot of things.

  23. I intended to write you the little note to be able to thank you as before on your unique pointers you’ve discussed above. It was certainly extremely open-handed of you to grant easily exactly what a few individuals could possibly have sold for an ebook to generate some cash on their own, and in particular considering the fact that you could have tried it if you ever considered necessary. The principles additionally served to become good way to comprehend other individuals have the same zeal just like my own to grasp very much more regarding this matter. I am certain there are a lot more pleasant opportunities in the future for individuals that examine your blog post.

  24. I and my guys were studying the good strategies on your web blog and then I got an awful suspicion I never expressed respect to the blog owner for those techniques. All the men ended up for this reason happy to learn all of them and have in effect surely been having fun with those things. I appreciate you for truly being considerably accommodating and then for picking this sort of very good things millions of individuals are really desirous to discover. My honest apologies for not saying thanks to sooner.

  25. In fact, you start saving money when you choose to buy a Gucci bag. Gucci brand-name bags have a face on their backs, and the Bacchus bag is one of Gucci’s most famous bag series. Of course, in many cases, Gucci’s Bacchus bags are quite popular in the current market, so Gucci’s bag recycling market is also a good market.

  26. In the third generation, the struggle for family power has become more complicated. Aldo’s second son, Paul and his third uncle Rudolph, the dispute over the management of the Florence headquarters ended in failure. After dissatisfied Paul took over the Gucci store in New York, the emerging market, he used his family name to launch the “Paul Gucci” brand without authorization. In his anger, his father fired Paul and blocked the launch of the brand through legal proceedings. At the end of the day, Paul submitted evidence of Aldo’s tax evasion for many years to the government, and personally sent his 81-year-old father to prison.

  29. My spouse and i have been quite excited Peter could carry out his investigations through your precious recommendations he received through the web site. It is now and again perplexing to simply be offering things that most people may have been making money from. We really already know we need the blog owner to be grateful to for this. These explanations you made, the simple blog menu, the relationships you can help to foster – it’s mostly astounding, and it is leading our son in addition to the family recognize that that situation is excellent, which is extraordinarily important. Many thanks for all!

  30. My spouse and i were really ecstatic Jordan could finish up his preliminary research using the precious recommendations he discovered out of the web page. It’s not at all simplistic to simply choose to be handing out guidance that other folks may have been trying to sell. We figure out we need the website owner to give thanks to because of that. Most of the illustrations you made, the easy blog menu, the relationships you will assist to foster – it is mostly awesome, and it is assisting our son and us reason why that topic is brilliant, which is extremely important. Thank you for everything!

  31. Thank you so much for giving everyone an extremely terrific chance to check tips from this website. It’s always very pleasurable and jam-packed with a good time for me personally and my office fellow workers to visit your site no less than thrice in 7 days to read through the latest things you have got. And of course, I’m usually fulfilled with the cool tricks served by you. Selected two areas on this page are particularly the most efficient we’ve ever had.

  32. .NO.4yuzefi mini delila chain bucket bag ￥2999 Delila, as Yuzefi’s main series, features the iconic big ring, and its reduced version of mini Delila, with its compact appearance and diverse color schemes, is very attractive. Yiliang’s visual effects have also become the “IT Bag” recommended by more fashion bloggers.

  33. I not to mention my buddies ended up looking at the nice points on your website and all of a sudden developed an awful feeling I never expressed respect to you for those tips. My young men happened to be as a result happy to see all of them and have definitely been having fun with those things. We appreciate you indeed being quite accommodating and then for picking out such wonderful things most people are really desirous to know about. My sincere apologies for not saying thanks to you earlier.

  34. I precisely needed to say thanks again. I do not know the things I would’ve gone through without the entire basics discussed by you concerning this area. It absolutely was an absolute scary circumstance in my position, but witnessing the well-written avenue you processed it forced me to jump for happiness. I am just happy for your help and as well , hope you know what a great job you’re doing training most people by way of your blog post. Probably you have never met any of us.

  35. I enjoy you because of all of the efforts on this blog. Debby enjoys working on internet research and it is easy to see why. All of us hear all regarding the compelling means you produce insightful secrets by means of this web site and as well as improve contribution from other ones on this situation while my princess is undoubtedly starting to learn so much. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the year. You’re the one conducting a tremendous job.

  36. I simply desired to appreciate you yet again. I do not know what I might have used in the absence of the actual tips contributed by you concerning my area. It actually was an absolute intimidating circumstance in my position, however , discovering the very expert mode you resolved the issue made me to jump over gladness. I’m happy for this information and even pray you realize what a great job you’re getting into training people all through your websites. Probably you have never encountered all of us.

  37. I am just writing to make you know of the amazing discovery our girl encountered using your web page. She came to find plenty of issues, which included how it is like to have a marvelous helping nature to make many others without difficulty know just exactly certain tricky issues. You undoubtedly surpassed people’s expectations. Thanks for giving the productive, trustworthy, explanatory and unique tips on the topic to Sandra.

  38. I want to express my passion for your kind-heartedness supporting all those that require help on this concern. Your personal dedication to passing the solution throughout had been rather important and has surely enabled regular people like me to realize their dreams. Your own informative help implies much to me and even more to my fellow workers. Thanks a lot; from each one of us.

  39. I want to show my passion for your generosity supporting people who really want assistance with this important study. Your very own commitment to getting the message all through became amazingly advantageous and has truly encouraged associates like me to achieve their desired goals. Your personal insightful guideline implies much a person like me and a whole lot more to my office colleagues. Warm regards; from each one of us.

  40. I as well as my friends were found to be examining the great secrets and techniques on your web page while immediately came up with a terrible suspicion I never thanked the web site owner for those techniques. My young men had been certainly very interested to read all of them and have now absolutely been making the most of these things. We appreciate you actually being really kind and for choosing this kind of impressive tips millions of individuals are really desirous to discover. My very own honest apologies for not expressing gratitude to earlier.

  41. Thank you a lot for providing individuals with an exceptionally spectacular possiblity to discover important secrets from this website. It’s always so superb and jam-packed with fun for me and my office co-workers to visit the blog at a minimum 3 times weekly to find out the fresh issues you will have. And definitely, we’re usually satisfied with your unbelievable advice you give. Selected 3 facts in this article are in truth the best we have ever had.

  42. I have to voice my respect for your generosity supporting all those that require help on this particular subject. Your real commitment to passing the message throughout became particularly informative and has always permitted others just like me to realize their dreams. Your own warm and friendly help can mean a whole lot to me and extremely more to my mates. Regards; from each one of us.

  46. Once I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now every time a remark is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you may remove me from that service? Thanks!

  48. I am usually to blogging and i actually appreciate your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your website and maintain checking for brand new information.

Leave a Reply