Definition of Profession
There is a dominant, contemporary mode of thinking about professionalism termed the
“attribute approach” (Dingwall, 1976). The attribute approach begins from the basic
assumption that it is possible to list fixed criteria for recognizing a profession on which
there will be a general consensus. These criteria can be used to distinguish between professions
and other occupations in a relatively clear and unproblematic fashion. Parsons
(l954), Freidson (l97l), and Illich (l973) have followed the attribute approach heavily. The
following paragraphs discuss these three writers’ definition of “profession.”