Re: Not-A-Dr. Laura

[Garrett Wollman <wollman>]

<<On Tue, 9 Jun 1998 03:44:26 +0000, Dan Strassberg <dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net> said:

>> Dr. Laura Schlessinger is indeed a Doctor -- of Philosophy (i.e.,
>> Ph.D.) -- but not of medicine or psychiatry or any other field which
>> might be remotely relevant to what she does on the radio.
>> 
> I think that's wrong, Garrett. As I understand it, she does have a PhD and
> another degree in counseling.

Right.  The point being that the academic distinction which entitles
her to call herself ``doctor'' is not related to the context in which
she is using it.  Since such academic titles are not normally used in
popular society(*), I can only conclude that she styles herself that way
in a deliberate attempt to deceive naive listeners.

- -GAWollman

(*)Of all the Ph.D.'s I know, not one styles him- or herself
``Doctor'' except in very formulaic contexts such as voicemail and
business cards.

- --
Garrett A. Wollman   | O Siem / We are all family / O Siem / We're all the same
wollman@lcs.mit.edu  | O Siem / The fires of freedom 
Opinions not those of| Dance in the burning flame
MIT, LCS, CRS, or NSA|                     - Susan Aglukark and Chad Irschick

------------------------------