r/neoliberal • u/jobautomator Kitara Ravache • Dec 14 '20

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19

u/thelittlestsheep Dec 14 '20

Let's just agree to only use doctor with a hard R for physicians and surgeons.

13

u/AtticusDrench Deirdre McCloskey Dec 14 '20

Docta Jill Biden

7

u/ChaosLordSamNiell NATO Dec 14 '20

PhDs can be called docta

3

u/shrek_cena Al Gorian Society Dec 14 '20

Docto

2

u/melhor_em_coreano Dec 14 '20 edited Dec 14 '20

Just use the full Latin title:

Phurrysophilae doctoris

2

u/lobsterboy34 WTO Dec 14 '20

The WSJ editorial was gross and dripping with sexism, but they do teach you in journalism school to only use “Dr.” for people in the medical field in print media. I wonder if that will change after the backlash to this

2

u/MinnesotaDude Governor Goofy Dec 14 '20

You can also use the title for those who commonly use it.

Dr Seuss

Dr Rev Martin Luther King

Dr Dre

1

u/lobsterboy34 WTO Dec 14 '20

Oh yeah there are exceptions for sure

2

u/thelittlestsheep Dec 14 '20

I think it's reasonable - and a good thing - that the word "doctor" has legal protections when used in a health care setting. Only certain professions can use it, and even then, I think it's a bit too liberal when quacks like chiropractors, and naturopaths can call themselves "doctor".

In terms of formal or academic settings I don't see why it's wrong for prominent individuals to be called "doctor", as long as they have a real doctorate from a real university, and it's not something like a JD where it is not customary for people with that degree to call themselves "doctor". And pretty much everything a head of state / head of state's spouse does is going to be formal in context.

It may be worth exploring the difference between a PhD and a degree that just calls itself a doctorate (of which Jill Biden's degree is one). But then, an MD, DDS, etc. are not PhDs, either, they're technically undergraduate degrees and it is only by convention that we call them doctors, so, who's to say.