Have I embarrassed my supervisors by solving a problem a PhD student couldn't?

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5 pointsz0a2 comments

This highlights a weird quirk of the academic model. It shouldn't matter who solved the problem; as long as the problem is solved.

Since everything is individual reputation based, you can effectively 'steal' someone's research. I'm all for a meritocracy, but this is pretty weird.

OTOH, understanding the politics and what's going on in general as an undergrad is very confusing and stressful. Who knows what the reality of the situation is?

I'd disagree that it doesn't matter who solved the problem: there are real-world implications across the board. I agree the most important thing is that knowledge is advanced, but to relegate the "solver" as an unimportant fiction seems disingenuous.

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