Profession by Isaac Asimov (1957)

one of asimov's finest , a metaphor that continues to find relevance in my day to day existence - that the conclusions we so readily come to are assumptions made in the absence of the awareness of something more

Re: Profession by Isaac Asimov (1957)

#5

Post by ameliaquining » Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 6:26 AM UTC

This is my favorite Asimov story. It's got a protagonist with compelling motivations, a society that has problems but also convincing reasons why they persist, and a great ending.

Re: Profession by Isaac Asimov (1957)

#6

Post by catoc » Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 7:52 AM UTC

spagettnet wrote: post #2

Link to the story without ads https://www.inf.ufpr.br/renato/profession.html

Thanks - the OP’s site was a truly horrible experience

Re: Profession by Isaac Asimov (1957)

#7

Post by jimbob45 » Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 8:05 AM UTC

Dr Antonelli said, “Or do you believe that studying some subject will bend the brain cells in that direction, like that other theory that a pregnant woman need only listen to great music persistently to make a composer of her child. Do you believe that?”

Apparently, Asimov was an early critic of the “Mozart in the womb” movement.

Re: Profession by Isaac Asimov (1957)

#8

Post by elcapitan » Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 10:03 AM UTC

Is this still in print, maybe as part of a collection? I tried to find it but couldn't. Many of his other works seem to be available as paperback, including a bunch of story collections.

Re: Profession by Isaac Asimov (1957)

#9

Post by zem » Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 10:06 AM UTC

ameliaquining wrote: post #5

This is my favorite Asimov story. It's got a protagonist with compelling motivations, a society that has problems but also convincing reasons why they persist, and a great ending.

mine too, because one of my favourite sff tropes is that the more you regiment society, the more you rely on outsiders and those pushed to the edges for any real innovation.

Re: Profession by Isaac Asimov (1957)

#10

Post by kmaitreys » Sun, Jan 18, 2026, 10:22 AM UTC

elcapitan wrote: post #8

Is this still in print, maybe as part of a collection? I tried to find it but couldn't. Many of his other works seem to be available as paperback, including a bunch of story collections.

I have it in print. As part of Isaac Asimov: The Complete Stories Volume 1 (Published by Harper Voyager)