He DOES have a doctorate. Just because the Italian degree system of 1975 had a different level of required effort doesn't change that. Again, the Italian response I am referring to specifically says....""dottore" entitles Rossi to claim the title of Dr."
"Since you don't seem to disagree that the degree shown is a Master's, not a Doctorate, why are you quibbling about that point?"
I "do" disagree. There is a major difference between the granted academic title and level of effort required to attain that degree.
As for the subject matter, the "Dottore Magistrali di Filosofia" translates to "Master's Degree in Philosophy."
It does NOT! Copy and past the phrase into your friend "Google Translate" and see what comes out.
"That is NOT the same as our "Doctorate of Philosophy." In the former, "Philosophy" is referring to an actual academic subject. In the case of our degree, "Philosophy" can be taken more literally as "Love of Knowledge."
No, it isn't the same. But courses of study can vary significantly with level of knowledge attained.
"It strongly appears to me that Rossi is using the name of a degree awarded in the subject of Philosophy for the very reason that in English, a person unfamiliar with Italian degrees (and who doesn't know about Google Translate) could see it and think it is a PhD.
Speculation.
"And what the heck are you explaining to me about how the same degree can be awarded for widely different subjects of study? Did you miss the part where I said that I have a PhD, the fact of which implies that I have at least a passing familiarity with the American university system?
My point is that within specific type of degree, vastly different levels of expertise can be gained depending on the courses taken, not that "the same degree can be awarded for widely different areas of study". You've got my point completely backwards.
One student trying for a degree in "Philosphy" might take a large number of science courses, while another student might take no science courses at all.....and still end up with the same academic title on exiting the process.
"Gee, at my graduation ceremony, there was a woman receiving a PhD in piano studies. Like, what the heck does a person do to earn a PhD in piano studies??? I'll bet she didn't spend 8-10 hours per day in the lab like I did!
Take two students majoring in "piano studies". One takes courses in acoustics, physics, mathematics, and the study of the science of the piano. The other takes music appreciation classes. Same degree.
"I didn't even know where the humanities department was when I was getting my PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Shame. My university REQUIRED a certain number of humanities courses. I sometimes regret that I didn't take more...but didn't have time.
"I doubt that physicists in general have any more interest in humanities than chemists.
LOL. Look up the biographies of any of the top-level physicists (or chemists for that matter). Most of them have a VERY strong interest in the humanities. Much more so than humanities majors have in science.
Just because, in Italy, someone with a Master's degree awarded prior to the institution of a doctoral degree within the Italian university system in the mid-1980s was allowed to use the title "Dr." in Italy (and only in Italy, it said that in Wiki), does not make their degree a doctorate. The Magistrale or Laurea degree required 5 years of university, total--which simply is not PhD level work.
As for what real Italians have to say on the meaning of "Dottore Magistrale in Filosofia", two Italians posted in this thread, the last two responses.
Penultimate response:
It's a Master degree.
I'm italian.
Ultimate response:
Yup, a Master. In philosphy, it required an "experimental" thesis, that is an original work, but not of the quality required for a PhD. In Italy, one is called "Dottore" with that degree. Indeed, it used to be the highest degree until 1986, if I remember correctly the year.
I'm surprised you haven't even addressed my other critique of the letter supposedly verifying Rossi's academic credentials, which is that it appears doctored (font sizes change for no reason; there are extra spaces between words in a non-right justified document; the date formats are inconsistent).
Last, I'll say that it must have been nice getting a PhD back in the 70s, when you apparently had lots of time to take classes in non-related subjects. Even had my program allowed for it, I simply did not have the luxury to take non-science classes.