ABSTRACT
This paper starts with the public opinion of civil/geotechnical engineering, partly seen from an ethical and philosophical point of view. Although the contribution of this profession to the high living standard of modern society is enormous, the public appreciation of the engineer is often not what it should be. Further topics refer to discrepancies in the professional opinion of experts and to the gap between theory and. practice as well as to the lifelong learning society. A comprehensive chapter makes recommendations to young engineers and discusses their expectations and the future prospects of the profession.
