Ethics and Professionalism

5. The Functionalist Model

o 5 THEFUNCTIONALIST MODEL The functionalist model will be presented uncritically before probing its weaknesses from the conflict perspective. The last chapter listed some twenty statements by a wide range of authors stating central characteristics of professions. To bring this material into order, the characteristics will be sorted into three categories: substantive, pertaining to the nature of professional work; structural, pertaining to the organization of professional groups; and personal, pertaining to the kind of people the professions attract and develop. The functionalist framework provides internal coherence for the idea of profession. The work of the professions is seen to have the character it does because it enables them to perform their functions. The professions are thought to be structured and to attract and develop particular kinds of persons as the optimal way to get the work done. The teleological relation between functions of professions and the character of their work, and between their work and their structure and personnel, binds these elements into a coherent whole. The teleological form of the model also explains its attractiveness as an ideal: Members of an occupation see in professionalism a coherent pattern for implementing the aspiration to serve society in an effective, efficient way. The ideal character of the model suggests in tum an explanation for the way actual professions have evolved. Professions approximate the ideal because, in a few cases, their leaders have consciously shaped them after the ideal and, in every case, society has rewarded professions for developing this form. Given this 73 THE FUNCTIONALIST MODEL dynamic, professions are the way they are because of the functions they perform for society. What is more, this functionalist explanation is also a justification. Professions deserve their status because they perform important functions. The Goal of Service The central features of professional practice are the application of some branch of science or systematic knowledge to the solution of important human problems.' Wewill consider the second aspect first. The importance of the professions turns on the relevance of their work to basic biological needs-food, shelter, health, disposal of the dead, etc.-and basic instrumental needs generated by modem society-education, transportation, sanity, order, legal counsel, energy, disposal of wastes, etc. The importance of the needs they meet distinguishes professional work from other highly skilled activities. Moore notes, "the welfare of the professional 's clients is vitally affected by the competence and quality of the service performed; this is certainly not true in the same sense or same degree of esthetic and expressive activities. A poor performance may distress the beholder, but it scarcely threatens his vital Interests.'? (Professional musician, professional artist, professional athlete, etc., thus are misnomers. We do not condemn the poor fingering of a violinist as we do that of a surgeon nor the poor design of a landscape by a painter as that of an orphanage by an architect.) Professionals confine themselves to providing means to their clients' ends and proposing solutions to their self-defined problems . Parsons calls this "specificity of function.:" The authority of the professional is based on technical competence, rather than status, wisdom, or moral character. He or she is an authority in a special field of knowledge and skill not in other matters. In acting with authority and exercising skill, only some data relating to the lives of clients are relevant. The professional is not concerned with their full personality and indeed is obligated not to probe into areas that are not relevant. Furthermore, the professional relationship is determined by the problem the client brings to the professional not by who the client is. A heart specialist, for instance, may have to decide whether a given 74 MODELS OF PROFESSIONS person who comes to his office is eligible for a relatively permanent relation to him as his patient. So far as the decision is taken on technical professional grounds the relevant questions do not relate to who the patient is but to what is the matter with him. The basis of the decision will be "universalistic," the consideration of whether he has symptoms which indicate a pathological condition of the heart. Whose son, husband, friend he is, is in this context irrelevant.' To put this in general terms, the professional renders disinterested and impartial service to whomever fortune puts in his hands. The client's needs concern him, not his or her class, race, sex, age, nationality, social role, or position of power. For...