Addressing Individuals

Respect to the topic that opened this discussion I think it is ridiculous that somebody involved in the academic world refused to recognized a degree from another country. Even more puzzling given the fact that both countries (UK and Italy) are partners and members of the EU. Let me remember that both nations signed The Hague Treaty by which they agree to mutually accept each other's degrees.

But the most surprising thing (most people do not know) is that Italy, in a way, was the first country to implement the use of universities, followed by Spain (about 800 years ago). If I remember correctly Bologna was the first university in the world. Much earlier, of course, than Cambridge and Oxford or Harvards, Yale, etc... And now it turns out that the pupil wants to discredit the master (!!!) Unbelievable!

I agree once again with Mr. Tom Head, a truly American wise individual. The degrees or titles do not signify anything. What really counts is the knowledge one gets after finishing his or her education. The rest is just show off and bad taste.

Cordial greetings.

 

May depend on the definition of "university." Here is the first university of a different sort: PU.

 

More seriously, Bologna may have been the first (at least in Western world) but not much earlier than some of the others. Bologna was 11th century, Oxford was 12th century, Cambridge was 13th century. OTOH, Harvard was 17th century, Yale was 18th century.

 

Hi Gert

Yes, you are definitely right. What I wrote above was a little exaggerated; just to emphasize how grotesque was that a British scholar refuses identical treatment to a foreign scholar. We agree in everything else.

In fact I just found out that the University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, was the first accredited university of the world. Does anyone who was the accrediting body?? Yes, the Vatican.

Cordial greetings

 

In the first century, St. Paul (or his followers) sent circular letters to the various churches that he founded. This was instructional material so I think that it can be safely called distance learning by correspondence. He was accredited by an even higher authority than the Vatican. He also selected various persons to serve as church officials, so even if he didn't grant degrees, he did grant ordination.

 

pbocij,

While falsely claiming a degree or falsely claiming to be a “doctor” is a misdemeanor in Florida, I don’t know of anyone who has ever been prosecuted for it. I wonder who lobbied to get that law passed?



Concurrently, “open adultery” is still a misdemeanor in Florida, but I think the last case that was tried was in 1968 in the Miami area. Can you imagine trying to enforce that law today?

 

In the first century, St. Paul (or his followers) sent circular letters to the various churches that he founded. This was instructional material so I think that it can be safely called distance learning by correspondence. He was accredited by an even higher authority than the Vatican. He also selected various persons to serve as church officials, so even if he didn't grant degrees, he did grant ordination.[/B][/QUOTE]

The teaching of Saint Paul, although highly regarded for some people and unarguably successful all over the world, cannot be regarded as a university education, which was then considered to be an independent, nonreligious teaching institution (as defined by Oxford University www.ox.uk.ac )
In any case I can imagine the reticence of many distance learners of the time (and still now ;-) ) when they found out that it was not a traditional “mortar and brick” college.

Now seriously, the only source of high education (or any other, for that matter) in Europe during the Middle Ages were the convents or other Catholic establishments. Thus there is a clear distinction between secular and religious universities, beginning with the foundation of the University of Bologna as pointed out earlier.

Cordial greetings

 

This is an interesting topic. How many fellows at Oxford alone have pounded out doctorates on Shakespeare's writings; yet by the logic above, the dissertations had educational value, but not Shakespeare's writings themselves. If someone can earn a doctorate by analyzing a fragment of those writings, it would make sense that the author of those writings deserves a degree as well...call it a Ph.D. by publication, if you wish. If the original work is of no value, those scholars are making much ado about nothing in the derivative work, aren't they.

What is theology but taking one sentence of one of Paul's letters and turning it into 500? (It is a miracle.) I say, St. Paul, Ph.D. is appropriate, by publication.

 

I'd like to buy a few question marks, please. Are there any for sale<insert one here>

 

Except in Oregon. And in Florida, a misdemeanor in the first.




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Quinn

 

When I received my Bachelors degree, my wife refused to let me date.

When I earned my Masters, she still laughed at my macho attempts to be lord of the manor.

When I finish my DBA, I don't think she'll let me play doctor.

One of my MBA professors gave me a good piece of advice that his mother gave him, "Never get so wrapped up in your self that you say 'Good morning, Dr. Xxxxx' when you look in the mirror to shave in the morning."

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Humans are the only animals that protect
their stupid from the forces of evolution.

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:-D

Wait a minute! Who is talking about original work? Didn't Paul, as the self proclaimed thirteeth apostle, receive all information from a Force beyond him? Plagiarism is to present somebody else's work as his own.

Instead of PhD by Publication, it should be by Revelation. And the instructional technology..... Well, I better do not get into that.

Cheers

 

LOL