Board 8 > Use of titles

(+) Yeah! (+)

Leave the recent political events out of this. I want to know whether you think, as a general rule, whether somebody with a PhD should be referred to as doctor wherever and whenever they'd like. For my part, I think it's pretentious to use it outside of a university or in your field of study, and it seemed to have been accepted as a general rule.

In basically anything published I think it's fine and expected. In casual talk probably not. That has more to do with titles in general than Dr. specifically though.

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PhDs are the original doctors. I don't think I'll ask people to refer to me as doctor after I finish my PhD, but if I did refer to myself that way and they told me I wasn't a "real" doctor I'd tell them to fuck off.

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If it's formal enough for you to be referred to as mister or miss, it's formal enough to use the correct title

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The title of doctor? My father has basically never used it. One of my math professors said he only uses it when writing letters of recommendation. One of my English professors said she always uses it because she's still paying it off.

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It's pretentious to insist on it. It's not pretentious to ask for it, or to use it for somebody else
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If somebody wants me to call them that and they've earned it, then whatever. I probably wouldn't do it without them asking it (unless it's a formal situation where I'm introducing them or something).

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banananor posted...

If it's formal enough for you to be referred to as mister or miss, it's formal enough to use the correct title

This, basically.

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banananor posted...

If it's formal enough for you to be referred to as mister or miss, it's formal enough to use the correct title

also agree with this

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OK, it looks like a reasonably even division of opinion. Just had an argument with my cousin's daughter over it, so the next family reunion should be fun.

I don't see anything wrong with it. My dad always refers to anyone with a doctorate (including himself) as "Dr." in writing. I'm so used to it I'm kinda bemused that people would get upset by it.

In casual conversation, I wouldn't, but then I wouldn't be using any titles at all.
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I've never once referred to myself as doctor and cringe at the idea of other people doing it. It makes me feel like a pretentious dbag.

If someone wants to be referred to as doctor though, I do it 100% of the time. It isn't any extra work for me to call them how they want to be called and if they have their PhD they've earned the title and can use it whenever they want.

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I never really minded this as long as they aren't snooty or forceful about it I guess.

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Yeah people with phds are part of the small group of people I respect for doing something I will never be able to do so I refer to everyone as "dr." unless asked not to

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