The common denominator of a growing number of hard decisions facing
modern societies is the need to determine, "How safe is safe
enough?" Nuclear power, recombinant DNA, food additives, and the
DC-10 are just a few of the products of technological progress that
raise this question. The authors begin by defining acceptable-risk
problems and analyzing why they are so difficult to resolve,
considering such issues as uncertainty about their definition, lack
of relevant facts, conflicting and conflicted social values, and
disagreements between technical experts and the lay public. Drawing
on their own experience in risk management as well as the relevant
research literatures in psychology, engineering, operations
research, economics, management and political science, they
identify and characterize the variety of methods that have been
proposed for resolving acceptable-risk problems. They subject these
methods to a rigorous critique in terms of philosophical
presuppositions, technical feasibility, political acceptability,
and validity of underlying assumptions about human behavior. The
authors construct a framework for deciding how to make decisions
about risks, and offer recommendations for research, public policy,
and practice. Although their principal focus is on technological
hazards, their analysis applies to many risks, such as those from
new medical treatments or innovative programs in criminal justice.
The necessity of balancing risks and benefits impinges on most
people's lives, and a broad audience will find this book
thought-provoking and useful. They include all those concerned with
the management of technology--scientists, engineers, policy-makers
and regulators, as well as a growing number of concerned
citizens--and all those interested in the nature of decision
processes, including psychologists, management and political
scientists, and their students. The book presupposes no
mathematical or technical background on the part of readers.
General
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