# A ‘Rebel’ Without a Ph.D. | Quanta Magazine  ## Metadata - Author: [[Thomas Lin]] - Full Title: A ‘Rebel’ Without a Ph.D. | Quanta Magazine - Category: #articles - Summary: Freeman Dyson is a celebrated mathematical physicist known for his contributions to quantum electrodynamics and his unique approach to problem-solving. He has never held a Ph.D. and believes that the lengthy process discourages many aspiring scientists, especially women. At 90 years old, he continues to explore mathematical problems, emphasizing the beauty and joy of mathematics. - URL: https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-math-puzzle-worthy-of-freeman-dyson-20140326/ ## Highlights - QUANTA MAGAZINE: Technically, you retired from the Institute for Advanced Study 20 years ago. What are you working on now? *FREEMAN DYSON:* I used to be a scientist and did a lot of calculations. It was a competitive world, and when I got older, I decided I wouldn’t compete with the bright, young people anymore, so I write books instead. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtzweqzktvv5j1rtbw6sn2k1)) - I started out as a pure mathematician and found problems that just arise out of the very nature of numbers, which are amazingly subtle and difficult and beautiful. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtzwgkhas14ea2wdf1ryf3hw)) - I played these tools as well as I could just because it was beautiful, rather in the same way a musician plays the violin, not expecting to change the world but just because he loves the instrument. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtzwh9p82zkfx9019rv78n91)) - The hydrogen atom is the simplest atom, and you ought to be able to understand it if you understand atoms at all. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtzwk78xfa60edrccatwnfc8)) - I didn’t invent anything new — I translated Feynman’s ideas into mathematics so it became more accessible to the world, and, as a result, I became famous, but it all happened within about six months. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtzwkx3nep54h3y2jbzy4jnj)) - I’m very proud of not having a Ph.D. I think the Ph.D. system is an abomination. It was invented as a system for educating German professors in the 19th century, and it works well under those conditions. It’s good for a very small number of people who are going to spend their lives being professors. But it has become now a kind of union card that you have to have in order to have a job ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtzwr86p2dfbcpkavk6hzff2)) - It forces people to waste years and years of their lives sort of pretending to do research for which they’re not at all well-suited. In the end, they have this piece of paper which says they’re qualified, but it really doesn’t mean anything. The Ph.D. takes far too long and discourages women from becoming scientists, which I consider a great tragedy. So I have opposed it all my life without any success at all. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtzwrvzxj71z4grmd93yyr4n)) - When I retired as a professor of the institute, I kept all the privileges. The only thing that changed is the paychecks stopped coming. I still have an office and all the secretarial help I need, plus a place at the lunch table. One more advantage is not having to go to faculty meetings. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jtzwvghry6cm6k44xy443d4f))