[jack9]

"earn" as in was granted by a university? The purpose of a graduate degree (Masters, Doctorate, et al) is to further knowledge. Without churning out "dissertations", Universities would be nothing more than echo chambers for what's already accepted and considered "known". https://vimeo.com/9270320 - Greg Wilso mentions this, because it's important to all modern human industry and somehow that's rarely understood.

In that vein, there are discoveries, studies and experts that occur or develop outside of universities. This is the source of an honorary degree. Famously, others have been given various degrees for effort and demonstrated competence (eg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joel). People who scoff at honorary doctorates are elitists, at best. Those who do not accept that expertise can be cultivated excepting through anything other than standardized processes understandably believe that no other process is legitimate despite the fact that there are narrow and wide fields of study for which there exists no framework.

There is some truth to the observation that age unfairly plays into academic accomplishment insofar as someone younger could not be granted a teaching position or honorary degree, even if they demonstrate comparable knowledge. Part of the leeway is due to a passion or commitment to topics that can only be demonstrated through a life-long pursuit of knowledge and criticality.

[leephillips]

Nobody is being an elitist or scoffing at anyone. The phrase “earned degree” has a particular meaning: it means “not honorary”. I think honorary degrees are great. But they are what they are. The convention is not to use the title “Dr.” on the basis of an honorary degree. That‘s it. Stallman is a legend, and obviously has no need of titles.

[jack9]

> The phrase “earned degree” has a particular meaning: it means “not honorary”

Maybe you meant academic degree.

> But they are what they are.

Still not clear on what that means. Recognition of expertise? They are that.

> The convention is not to use the title “Dr.” on the basis of an honorary degree

Again, by those aforementioned.

[leephillips]

I meant exactly what I typed. As I just informed you, the phrase has a well-established meaning.

[jack9]

> As I just informed you

I think you have a flawed set of beliefs. Good luck with whatever.

[Brian_K_White]

What exactly are they that they are? Not earned? I bet there are more un-earned regular degrees than honorary.

[jack9]

Indeed, honorary degrees are earned. The accreditation process differs for every individual, at a micro level and for individuals across organizations (and time and discipline, et al) at a macro level. The idea that a degree is "earned" based on a lack of the "honorary" descriptor belies a bias of ignorance, at best.