X-Message-Number: 15674
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2001 21:01:20 -0500
From: Paul Antonik Wakfer <>
Subject: Use of Titles - CryoNet #15661
References: <>

> Message #15661
> Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2001 13:06:48 +1100
> From: Damien Broderick <>
> Subject: suicide and cryonics
> 
> Dr Ettinger (I believe I'm correct in using that title, although people
> here sometimes refer to `Mr' Ettinger, usually when disparaging him, so I'm
> not sure) wrote:

Mr Ettinger has no doctorate of any kind, nor did he teach at an
institution where senior teachers were entitled to be called professor.
(Please see the website page: http://cryonics.org/bio.html where it
clearly states his academic credentials as a BA plus two MA degrees.)
Therefore, it is incorrect to call him either Doctor Ettinger or
Professor Ettinger and, ethically, *he* should immediately inform anyone
who does so of their error. We might all wonder why he does not do so.
Calling him "Mr Ettinger" is a mark of courtesy as opposed to simply
calling him by his last name alone as he constantly does to me and to
all others who he wishes to belittle.

On the other hand, since I was an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at
the University of Toronto, I could ethically and legally use that title
any time that I wished. (Note that all my mail from the University of
Toronto comes addressed to "Professor Paul Wakfer".) I long ago choose
not to use the title because I don't think highly of credentials, but
instead only of words, writings, and deeds produced by an individual;
and that is how I want to be appreciated, by my reason, my words, my
actions, and my accomplishments. 
 
-- Paul --

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