How well respected are honorary degrees

I know a lot of pastors with the title Rev.Dr who received honorary degrees from obscure institutions (not universities). I also hear of some rich people who just pay institutions for them. I'm just wondering why honorary degrees are awarded and it allows people who could have sub-borderline intelligence levels to have the same title as incredibly gifted minds who studied for years and wrote a thesis that is thousands of words long. Also how much are these degrees respect by employers if not at all

Reply 1

Drewski

19

The clue's in the title. They are honorary. They don't mean anything.

Employers are intelligent enough to know that.

Reply 2

K_o_46

OP

2

Original post by Drewski

The clue's in the title. They are honorary. They don't mean anything.

Employers are intelligent enough to know that.

So what's the point of having it

Reply 3

Drewski

19

Original post by K_o_46

So what's the point of having it

What's the point in having awards, in OBEs, MBEs, Knighthoods, Damehoods, etc?

They are given out by bodies who wish to recognise someone for whatever reasons they have for recognising them.
To anybody who isn't the recipient or the body handing them out, they are entirely meaningless.

Reply 4

K_o_46

OP

2

Original post by Drewski

What's the point in having awards, in OBEs, MBEs, Knighthoods, Damehoods, etc?

They are given out by bodies who wish to recognise someone for whatever reasons they have for recognising them.
To anybody who isn't the recipient or the body handing them out, they are entirely meaningless.

But it isn't fair that they can walk around with the title Dr in their name. People will incorrectly think that they're smart. Instead of a degree they should think of something else to award these people

Reply 5

Drewski

19

Original post by K_o_46

But it isn't fair that they can walk around with the title Dr in their name. People will incorrectly think that they're smart. Instead of a degree they should think of something else to award these people

You clearly haven't understood the 'honorary' bit of an honorary degree.

They are not allowed to use the title in that way. And anyway, even if they were, the comparatively few such things handed out hardly dilutes the pool.

Fuss over nothing.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 6

Fact

2

The person receiving them is respected....or so they should be at least