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I don't see how his phrasing is ambiguous. Legolas Send a noteboard - 07/02/2013 09:07:45 AM
You might want to go with "There are a lot of jackasses with useless Ph.D.s these days" next time.

I'm not really sure what the relevant difference between "Every other jackass these days has a useless Ph.D." and "there are a lot of jackasses with useless Ph.D.s these days" is supposed to be. The former is formulated even stronger, sure, but I don't see any difference with regards to the topic you're arguing about, i.e. whether it implies that all non-medical doctorates are useless.

You interpreting it the way you did was not so strange, but you have to admit that that's not what he actually said, or even implied.
Dr. is a regular prefix for Academic Ph.D.s and a lot of protestant clergy, and both have very legit claims to it both historically and in modern common use, and those are the only two really legit standards for such things. If you're stating an opinion, that we should only call medical doctorates doctor, that's fine, but it is an opinion.

It took me quite a while before I understood why on earth MLK went by "Doctor" without ever seeming to practice the medical profession, I must admit (and incidentally, "doctor of divinity" is a hilarious title). He's the main case coming to mind, outside of Germany where they're always a bit more rigid about such things (which is why it's so funny that there's now a second government minister in danger of losing her doctor's title on account of plagiarism charges). But then I don't live in America.
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Proper forms of address (US President) imlad - 05/02/2013 04:22:05 PM 723 Views
Why Madam? Is that used here commonly? A Deathwatch Guard - 05/02/2013 05:33:45 PM 426 Views
Madam would used random thoughts - 06/02/2013 05:48:10 PM 419 Views
Re: Proper forms of address (US President) Gher - 05/02/2013 07:14:03 PM 605 Views
Woodrow Wilson had a Ph.D. and Garfield was a minister Isaac - 05/02/2013 08:20:50 PM 557 Views
Dr. is the appropriate title for an M.D. only. Every other jackass these days has a useless Ph.D. Tom - 06/02/2013 03:55:46 PM 432 Views
i've heard PhD's referred to as "doctor, but not the kind who helps people" moondog - 06/02/2013 05:43:56 PM 417 Views
I think it's excessive Tom - 06/02/2013 06:57:10 PM 378 Views
Re: I think it's excessive Stephen - 08/02/2013 03:41:06 PM 403 Views
Every other doctorate but medicine is useless? Isaac - 06/02/2013 10:20:40 PM 378 Views
I never said that. I said every other jackass had a useless Ph.D. Tom - 06/02/2013 10:59:34 PM 397 Views
You're phrasing is rather ambigous then Isaac - 07/02/2013 12:26:46 AM 386 Views
"Your" and "ambiguous". Tom - 07/02/2013 03:39:01 AM 386 Views
You're being petty and you're avoiding the topic *NM* Isaac - 07/02/2013 05:03:27 AM 258 Views
I don't see how his phrasing is ambiguous. Legolas - 07/02/2013 09:07:45 AM 479 Views
I am disinclined to give him the benefit of the doubt when he's seems to be picking an argument Isaac - 07/02/2013 11:46:02 AM 891 Views
Ford had a J.D.?! Joel - 08/02/2013 07:10:59 PM 417 Views
When it happens, language will have "progressed" so far... jh - 06/02/2013 06:24:00 AM 428 Views
President trumps other honorifics- for a man, it's always "Mr. President" beetnemesis - 06/02/2013 02:58:27 PM 412 Views
Thank you everyone for the input imlad - 12/02/2013 08:51:05 PM 466 Views
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