Description

Discussions of science and values in risk management have largely focused on how values enter into arguments about risks, that is, issues of acceptable risk. Instead this volume concentrates on how values enter into collecting, interpreting, communicating, and evaluating the evidence of risks, that is, issues of the acceptability of evidence of risk. By focusing on acceptable evidence, this volume avoids two barriers to progress. One barrier assumes that evidence of risk is largely a matter of objective scientific data and therefore uncontroversial. The other assumes that evidence of risk, being "just" a matter of values, is not amenable to reasoned critique. Denying both extremes, this volume argues for a more constructive conclusion: understanding the interrelations of scientific and value issues enables a critical scrutiny of risk assessments and better public deliberation about social choices. The contributors, distinguished philosophers, policy analysts, and natural and social scientists, analyze environmental and medical controversies, and assumptions underlying views about risk assessment and the scientific and statistical models used in risk management.

Reviews

"An excellent survey of a number of issues in environmental ethics."--Joel B. Goldsteen, University of Texas at Arlington

"This volume shows that rational, critical approaches to value-laden risk judgments can be fruitful, making possible more sophisticated risk assessments and risk management that better comprehends the values at stake....The focus on evidence of risk and values holds together the diversity of perspectives and real world examples, making the volume useful for teaching."--Ethics

Product Details

304 pages; 9 line illus.; 6-1/8 x 9-1/4; ISBN13: 978-0-19-508929-5ISBN10: 0-19-508929-4

About the Author(s)