Moral aspects of professions and professional practice

Gerhard Minnameier

pp. 57-77

in: Stephen Billett, Christian Harteis, Hans Gruber (eds), International handbook of research in professional and practice-based learning, Berlin, Springer, 2014

Abstract

Professions are usually defined as occupations that require expert training at an academic level and are built on a set of standards that have to be met by members of a given profession. These standards not only apply to certain kinds of expert knowledge that are expected of professionals but also ethical standards in relation to the usage of this expert knowledge. However, apart from possible failures to meet these requirements, professionals, like anybody else, normally do not always act according to one guideline alone. Their actions are rather tuned to different situational cues. The article explores what kind of situations can be distinguished on a theoretical basis, how far such differentiations are acceptable or even appropriate and where they are not, and how situational adaptation works. The paper ends with deriving implications for professional practice and vocational education and training.