Learned professions

Posted by Lotg on November 23, 2004

In Reply to: Learned professions posted by SR on November 22, 2004

: : : : What is the meaning of the phrase "the learned professions"?

: : : 29 CFR 541.301 - Learned professions.

: : :
: : : Section Number: 541.301
: : : Section Name: Learned professions.

: : : --

: : : (a) The ``learned'' professions are described in Sec. 541.3(a) as
: : : those requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or
: : : learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized
: : : intellectual instruction and study as distinguished from a general
: : : academic education and from an apprenticeship and from training in the
: : : performance of routine mental, manual, or physical processes.
: : : (b) The first element in the requirement is that the knowledge be of
: : : an advanced type. Thus, generally speaking, it must be knowledge which
: : : cannot be attained at the high school level.
: : : (c) Second, it must be knowledge in a field of science or learning.
: : : This serves to distinguish the professions from the mechanical arts
: : : where in some instances the knowledge is of a fairly advanced type, but
: : : not in a field of science or learning.

: : : There is a more detailed explanation on the US Gov't Labor Department website. SR

: : These would include, I imagine, medecine, law, architecture and engineering. There must be more, priesthood perhaps?

: much more from googling 'the learned professions.'
: "Learned or Common Profession?
: Over the next few centuries, "profession" came to refer to any avowal of a calling, whether religious or not. A professional was then someone who followed a specific calling, someone distinguishable from both the ignorant and the jack-of-all-trades. This wider use of "profession" opened the way for a distinction between the "learned professions" -theology and its university off-shoots, law and medicine-and the rest, the "common professions," silversmith, merchant, and so on, trained through mere apprenticeship." SR

The church??? A learned profession?