What follows is a continuation of the Assume I finish the MoL in one year, what then given my past PhD Applications.
The high uncertainty of the future and the accompanying stress, compounded by the intense pressure of the Masters (see Master’s Outline), is causing me to question the pace at which I have conducted (see Bachelors’ Outline) and am still conducting my studies. I will begin by presenting the current scenarios that lie ahead given the PhD Applications, followed by some general uncertainties about which Research Areas I actually see myself working in the future.
Upcoming Scenarios
I feel tense about the PhD Applications, particularly the respective Regrets. Two scenarios lie ahead of me: either I get good PhD Applications Results or bad ones.
If I were to receive a good outcome, i.e., getting into at least one of the PhD Applications in the US (it seriously wouldn’t matter which one, as they are all excellent), it would make me very happy and motivated. Finally achieving such a good result after all the effort during my Bachelor’s (see Bachelors’ Outline) and Master’s (see Master’s Outline) would be incredibly rewarding. Being admitted to any of the universities I applied to in the USA would undoubtedly place me among the top 100 philosophers of my birth year, serving as a great motivator. Depending on the university faculty and the developments of my Master Thesis (which might depend on where I get admitted), I will decide on my area of specialisation. Currently, I am unsure of my precise path, as my Fields_of_Competence_and_Research_13.12.24.pdf outlines several different Research Areas I am interested in, without a clear favourite. My PhD Applications Results would primarily guide me in selecting a specific field, where I would then immerse myself while maintaining a broad perspective whenever possible.
The second scenario involves not being accepted by any of the PhD Applications in the US or Oxford and Cambridge in PhD Applications in the EU & UK. If this happens, I have three options.
Option one is to expand my PhD Applications in the EU & UK, applying to more departments where I could pursue a project that continues my Master Thesis. Staying at ILLC Amsterdam or returning to LMU Munich would certainly be excellent options, along with other potential places like Vienna. If accepted, I would happily pursue a PhD at any of these institutions. If not, I would have to consider the next two options.
Option two is to accept one of the less optimal offers from the PhD Applications in the EU & UK. Each of these would need careful consideration, factoring in both living standards (which are excellent in places like Lund University or Denmark) and the academic career opportunities they would provide.
Option three is to remain enrolled in the M.Sc. Logic (UvA), staying at ILLC Amsterdam, an excellent environment, to conduct more research projects aimed at leading to successful publications. This research year at ILLC Amsterdam would significantly enhance my chances for successful PhD Applications in the US the following year. This option should be weighed against the MA Philosophy at Simon Fraser University, where I would receive a small salary but possibly be in a less stimulating environment. Financially, this option would be feasible (see Personal Finance (old)) with guaranteed support from my parents.
What Will I Do?
I have always been very certain about what I wanted to study, but now, for the first time, I find myself unsure of my career prospects when faced with the choice of many Research Areas that excite me, despite all being closely related to my broader field of Theoretical Analytical Mathematical Philosophy and Mathematical Logic. Currently, given the scenarios presented above, I think that the department of the PhD programme I will end up in will be the one determining the main Research Areas I will specialise in.
This uncertainty adds complexity to the Master Thesis, which currently has the topic on Translation Theory, a subject I am genuinely interested in and find fruitful for many theoretical results in areas I am intrigued by. In conclusion, I am confident that I will find a field where I can excel and specialise, but I do not know what it is yet, and I feel like I have no clear means to determine it. The tools I used to determine my current focus were straightforward: I enjoy rational and abstract reasoning, so I pursued the most abstract and rational field available. Now, having discovered the diversity of abstract and rational fields, I am not equipped with the means to choose the one I want to dedicate the next several years to.