Proposal on the Reform of Doctoral Education

US doctoral education faces a triple crisis: prolonged time-to-degree, declining breakthrough research, and soaring mental health issues among PhDs. This article argues that the “perfect dissertation” paradigm—rooted in independence, length, and originality—has become a systemic ethical trap that stifles the collaborative dividend essential to modern knowledge production. This article proposes the "academic division of labor and collaborative model", and its ethical foundation is the Three Principles of Eudaimonia. Core designs include: classifying PhDs into Breakthrough, Refinement, and Integrative types; establishing the “Breakthrough Core” and “Refinement Shell” as distinct outputs; and transforming sporadic cooperation into institutionalized collaboration through open bidding, smart contracts, and dual-track defenses. Simulations show a 32% increase in high-quality output, a 1.3-year reduction in time-to-degree, and a 67% decrease in buried theories. Counterfactual analysis suggests the loss of geniuses like Mendel and Franklin could have been avoided. The system’s built-in ethical safeguards ensure risks remain speakable and repairable. The article offers a theoretically original and operationally feasible blueprint for doctoral education reform through pilot programs, legislative support, and infrastructure development.