How do you all feel about people using Dr. as their primary honorific title but are not a doctor?

a reply to: Xtrozero

i personally would never call anyone doctor who is not a medical doctor

originally posted by: Annee

You qualify that as earning it?

How dare you dictate what it takes for me to earn something.... How do you compare a PhD at MIT to doing community college and jumping in some mainly online PhD degree program to that? Do you think they are equal? I know in engineering it does matter what college you went to even for a BS with many companies...

originally posted by: fomalhaut
When I was in university, we called our professors "Doctor". I don't recall any of them asking us to - it was just standard procedure.

Isn't that a step down? I always thought that Professor had more academic clout than Doctor. Professors teach people to be Doctors.

a reply to: Ahabstar

i know a professor of surgery and he insists you call him mr.he's hell of a nice guy saved my life

originally posted by: VictorVonDoom

Isn't that a step down? I always thought that Professor had more academic clout than Doctor. Professors teach people to be Doctors.

Many times Professors teach, but they don't do except for some STEMs.... I think that there is a difference there...This is not absolute, but many professors never leave the University bubble their whole lives. The real world can be scary and hard to navigate successfully.

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: VictorVonDoom

Isn't that a step down? I always thought that Professor had more academic clout than Doctor. Professors teach people to be Doctors.

Many times Professors teach, but they don't do except for some STEMs.... I think that there is a difference there...This is not absolute, but many professors never leave the University bubble their whole lives. The real world can be scary and hard to navigate successfully.

That's a great point and very true.

On the other hand, there are a lot of people who can do, but can't teach worth a damn. If it weren't for those who could pass on the knowledge, it would be lost.

a reply to: Xtrozero
DOCTOR is Latin for "teacher". The use of the word in the general sense, (someone with an advanvced academic qualification), is actually older than the popular limited sense (someone with an advanced medical qualification). Doctor Who is not a medical doctor- I think he'e mentioned having a degree in cosmology.

So what you are asking is that an original and legitimate usage should be abandoned, to conform with a popular misunderstanding of what the word means.

How is it that we are 3 pages in and no one has called the OP out on this pathetic topic... all stemming from some fragile dude that wrote an opinion article (in the WSJ) in an attempt to call out Jill Biden for having the title of Dr. for her PhD and not for being a medical Dr.? This was in the news just in the past few days (and since then this dude has been panned unilaterally across the professional landscape).

Clearly this is why this is being brought up. As the son of a scientist, plenty of people with PhDs are introduced as Dr., especially in professional circumstances. Just because some are painfully unaware of this, doesn't make it any less valid.

a reply to: okrian

Ahhh crap....mudpit...should have know.

Thanks for pointing that out.

Thought is was just a chit-chat thread.

Peace

a reply to: Xtrozero

I guess Dr. Cooper, Dr. Hofstadter & Dr. Koothrappali from the Big Bang Theory makes that series about procreation then.

Anyone demanding the use of titles -- from "Mr" to "Dr" to "Xir" -- outside of their profession is seeking validation from others... at best. At worst, it's a conscious and deliberate tactic to make someone feel subservient and inferior. Not cool.

In a professional setting, it conveys a level of knowledge and expertise that is relevant to the business at hand. So in those circumstances, it is also helpful.

In any other setting it's not relevant and not helpful.

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: AScrubWhoDied

What do you mean "not a doctor"?

You mean the difference between MD (Doctor of Medicine) and PhD (Doctor of philosophy)?

Not a medical doctor... When on a plane and someone screams is there a doctor on board who says yes? My question is how many people do you know who might have a PhD and use the honorific title doctor when addressed?

If you have a doctorate then people are perfectly entitled to use it, a lot don't.

a reply to: Xtrozero

Obviously someone with a liberal arts degree has upset you.

Personally I don’t care, if they have a doctorate in whatever they’ve studied then good on them.

a reply to: okrian

I kinda picked up on it.

Shoulda guessed it was an attack on the left.

a reply to: Xtrozero

If you complete a PHD from an accredited university, you absolutely have the right to be addressed as Dr.

This really is a rubbish argument.

No one would have given a damn were it not for the fact the new president has a wife who has worked her arse off to get qualified.

I'm more concerned about peeps not Elvis being called the King,


STOP IT!

Do chiropractors count?

Asking for a friend.

originally posted by: AlbatrossMaker
I’m more concerned with him demanding I call him her.

Like Dr. Rachel Levine? Lol
I think her title is health sec for PA

I remember in a press conference someone said him and ... Rachel said please don't misgender me

a reply to: Xtrozero

Both my aunt and uncle have doctoral degrees but don't refer to themselves as 'Doctor'. My cousin is an MD, he does.

I make everyone call me Master according to my degree. Most people of color don’t appreciate it.

Considering Elton John could never even pick up a broadsword yet is considered a Knight.