Starting a Debate: Data Science – Occupation or Profession? A Discussion Paper

With this contribution at the ECDA-2019 in Bayreuth we want to start a much needed debate about the nature of the work of a data scientist. Is it a mere occupation or does the societal impact together with ethical issues surrounding the work imply data science should become a real profession in the sense of Airaksinen (Airaksinen, 2009). We explore the elements of data science and the responsibility a data scientist has for society. Some barriers are identified and what can be done about them. In this paper, we describe the line of reasoning which was presented, and some lessons learned from the actual discussions with the audience.