ABSTRACT
The professions have become essential to the very functioning of our society. W e conduct society’s principal business through professionals specially trained to carry out that business, whether it be making war and defending the nation, educating our children, diagnosing and curing disease, judging and pun ishing those who violate the law, settling disputes, managing industry and business, designing and constructing buildings, helping those who for one reason or another are unable to fend for themselves. Our principal formal institutions-schools, hospitals, government agencies, courts of law, armies-are are nas for the exercise of professional activity. W e look to profes
sionals for the definition and solution of our problems, and it is through them that we strive for social progress. In all of these functions we honor what Everett Hughes has called “ the pro fessions’ claim to extraordinary knowledge in matters of great social importance” ;1 and in return, we grant professionals ex traordinary rights and privileges. Hence, professional careers are among the most coveted and remunerative, and there are few occupations that have failed to seek out professional status. As one author asked, are we seeing the professionalization of nearly everyone?2
