Wasn't sure where this should go.... So I was reading one of the threads on here and saw that a practitioner was referred to as 'Dr'. Now this isn't that unusual since lots of health care practitioners seem to gravitate towards martial arts practice. Here's the problem. When I looked up the person's academic background I understood that the doctoral degrees were honorary. On top of this one of the degrees was awarded by a martial arts organisation. Usually an honorific is only used at or when dealing with the institution that has granted the degree, not in general public life. As well, it is hard to comprehend how martial arts org's can give out doctoral degree's of any sort unless they have an affiliation with a higher education institution. Again if there was an affiliation then the honorary title would only be used when dealing with that organisation and not when dealing with the general public or even other educational organisations. So would what's the normal/best way to approach this? It's bad enough that everyone wants to be Master/Grandmaster/Soke or whatever but really calling martial arts people ''Doctor'' seems really over the top. Thoughts people? Am I over reacting?? LFD
Meh. People can call themselves what they like within their own system. Just don't expect me to call you it or for people to not call you out on it. Think that's as far as my thoughts on it go
My non martial arts title is Dr. but I don't normally use it in connection with the martial arts unless I'm actually presenting research and utilising aspects of my professional skill set to do so. In terms of martial arts organisations; any organisation can set up and award any qualifications it wishes. Whether anyone else recognises them is another matter.
I guess it's each to their own but it is difficult to think that a fraud hasn't been committed. It's true that no one can control who gives out what but it it seems a shame that we perpetuate this sort of nonsense by using titles that are confusing to the public. LFD
Actually historically if you don't have a PHD or medical doctorate and you're using the title for marketing purposes then it is viewed as misleading advertising. Gillian Mckeith stopped calling herself Dr after the ASA approached her.
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2006/apr/22/badscience.uknews I am amazed that Dr isn't a protected title!
You know what's amazing? This guy is still in practice, says he is a ''Past Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology. He has been in clinical practice for over 30 years and now has a special interest in developmental disorders in children.'' He supposedly is ''an expert in child neurology, demonstrates how restructuring brain connections helps provide chemical support the brain needs. The Learning Disability Myth by Dr. x enables you, through completion of a health history inventory, to discover the root cause of the problem. Depending on the cause of symptoms, Dr. x shows you how to customize a food and nutritional supplement diet and exercise program that restructures brain connections and changes brain function altogether.'' Not bad for a someone who isn't licensed as anything now in the UK and who continues as an ''expert'' without having to retrain. It's a weird world we live in. LFD
When you meet someone for the first time and he speaks eloquently, then you assume the best stance to that and that he is a Dr. Later on you might relax more. What the public does to eachother doesnt shake me usually, and I am confident enough by myself.
Is this person from an English speaking background? In Italy for example, anyone with a bachelors degree is called doctor. I believe there is a seperate title for a doctorate.
