Professions as the Conscience of Society

Abstract

Sieghart's essay was first delivered as an address to the 1985 World Congress on Law and Medicine. His concern is the role that professionals such as physicians or lawyers play in society, and what sustains them when their professional obligations conflict with the demands of the state. In his view, professions differ from other occupations in two ways: their practitioners are obliged to put the interests of their patients or clients ahead of their own, and they serve the ideals of a 'noble' cause, such as the alleviation of suffering or the upholding of justice. When national laws conflict with the ethical duties of a professional's calling, he or she has recourse to a universal standard of legitimacy, such as the International Code of Medical Ethics, to justify a refusal to comply. Sieghart argues that sustaining these standards is one of the paramount obligations of a professional. (KIE abstract)