This article is worth reading, updating based on the evidence if appropriate, and then discussing if you have something to say.
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It seems to me that a PhD is mainly about doing research under somebody else's guidance, while doing some extra courses on the side. If you can accomplish the same research without the bureaucratic hassles involved in a PhD, win-win.
This article is worth reading, updating based on the evidence if appropriate, and then discussing if you have something to say.
Link