kyraneko:

kawuli:

rudjedet:

I just realised Ph.D should stand for Preferred Hill to Die on.

CORRECT

You write a thesis and then you defend it from people who try their damnedest to destroy it, and if you successfully defend it from several people who are experts well beyond your level, you get leveled up.

It is literally a certification of your willingness to metaphorically die on metaphorical hills. You have to stand on one and defend it just to join the club.