Professions as the conscience of society

Abstract

Ethics is no less of a science than any other. It has its roots in conflicts of interest between human beings, and in their conflicting urges to behave either selfishly or altruistically. Resolving such conflicts leads to the specification of rules of conduct, often expressed in terms of rights and duties. In the special case of professional ethics, the paramount rule of conduct is altruism in the service of a 'noble' cause, and this distinguishes true professions from other trades or occupations. If professional ethics come into conflict with national laws, the professional today can test the legitimacy of such laws by reference to internationally agreed legal standards in the field of human rights, and so help to perform the role of 'professions as the conscience of society'.

KIE: 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.