[bjornsing]

Isn’t it a bit petty to deny him that? It seems a hell of a lot harder to me to get a honorary doctorate than a normal PhD, and I can think of a lot of PhDs who deserve their doctor title a lot less than Stallman.

[chrisseaton]

Kanye West, Ben Affleck, Jon Bon Jovi, etc, all have honorary doctorates. Why does nobody call them Doctor? For the same reason you shouldn't call Stallman Doctor - because you don't do that for honorary doctorates.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_degree#Use_of_title_a...

Almost all universities explicitly and strongly tell people they give honorary degrees to to not do this.

https://www.wthrockmorton.com/2017/12/11/honorary-doctorate-...

[m463]

Good thing Dan Aykroyd got an honorary doctorate (Carleton) to back up Doctor Detroit.

[bjornsing]

Well that’s just social convention, and I don’t place much emphasis on that. I reserve the right to address anyone I choose as “doctor”, and if Stallman prefers to be addressed that way I’m happy to oblige. He has certainly earned it in my book.

Same goes for Benjamin Franklin btw, whom I see you left out of your list.

[chrisseaton]

You’re free to call him Saint IGNUcius if you want - many people do - and it’s a similar level of connection to reality.

[bjornsing]

I find this kind of credentialism a bit silly to be honest. If there’s anything with little connection to reality it’s 90% of dissertations.

[NonEUCitizen]

Trying to call yourself "Dr." when you don't have a real PhD is the worst kind of credentialism.

I call my friends with real PhD's by their first names and they're fine with that.

[bjornsing]

> I call my friends with real PhD's by their first names and they're fine with that.

Would you seriously consider anything else? If a friend of mine with a PhD told me to adress him as "Doctor" I would assume he was joking...

[chrisseaton]

> I find this kind of credentialism a bit silly to be honest

I can understand this opinion, but surely the most intensely silly credential is a credential you granted yourself?

[bjornsing]

I don't know. It's the "appeal to authority" that makes it silly in my eyes. It's sort of the opposite of the scientific mindset, and that bothers me. Stallman or Franklin calling themselves "Doctor" I can definitely live with.