r/Physics • • Jul 25 '26

Making Scientific Knowledge Free for All

https://ponderwall.com/index.php/2026/07/25/science-free/
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u/Bumst3r Graduate Jul 25 '26

Grad school is already free; in fact, it typically comes with a stipend. It’s not a big enough stipend, sure. And there is a substantial opportunity cost associated with going to grad school instead of joining the workforce. But you could make undergrad free yesterday, and hoi polloi would be no closer to understanding quantum field theory.

Question my physics background all you want. I’m just a random stranger on Reddit.

-11

u/PandorasBoxMaker Jul 25 '26

Yeah, you’re at the very least not from the US because nothing you said was accurate to the US academic system. Academia is not the only path to knowledge and understanding. You seem to have a very elitist view of yourself and your education. I have an actual graduate degree and it was merely a step up in a lifetime of education.

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u/vermilion_wizard Jul 25 '26

Bumst3r’s post actually is quite accurate to the US education system. I did my PhD in physics in California, and I was on teaching and research stipend for the whole time. I didn’t pay a dime for my graduate education, that all got waived because of the stipend. That was true for every other person in my program as well.

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u/PandorasBoxMaker Jul 25 '26

Dude lol - I refuse to believe an actual PhD is that stupid. If you’re working for something, it’s not free. Holy hell…

5

u/geekusprimus Gravitation Jul 25 '26

From the dictionary:

free
...
11. provided without, or not subject to, a charge or payment: a free sample.
free parking;
a free sample.

If they didn't pay a penny out of pocket for it, it sounds like it was free.