Risk and Precaution

The precautionary principle has been labeled simplistic and the rational approach to decision-making under risk was modeled on well-specified games of chance. How then are we to manage the risks, uncertainties, and unknown unknowns of the real world? In this book, Alan Randall unravels the key controversies surrounding the precautionary principle and develops a new framework that can be taken seriously in policy and management circles. Respecting the complexity of the real world, he defines a justifiable role for the precautionary principle in a risk management framework that integrates precaution with elements of the standard risk management model. This is explained using examples from medicine, pharmacy, synthetic chemicals, nanotechnology, the environment and natural resources conservation. This carefully reasoned but highly accessible book will appeal to readers from a broad range of disciplines, including environmental policy, risk management and cost-benefit analysis.

Spis treści:
List of figures
List of boxes
Acknowledgements
Part I. The Precautionary Principle – Why So Much Fuss about Such a Simple Idea?
1. Precaution as common sense, look before you leap
2. Commonsense precaution or paralysis of fear?
Part II. Harm and Chance – Managing Risk
3. Harm, risk, and threat
4. ORM – risk management as we know it
5. Problems with ordinary risk management
Part III. Defining and Justifying a Coherent Precautionary Principle
6. A defensible precautionary principle must withstand these challenges
7. Toward a PP framework – evidence, threat, and remedy
8. Threat and evidence
9. Remedy
10. Precaution for utilitarians?
11. A robust and defensible precautionary principle
Part IV. Precaution in Action
12. Precaution, from principle to policy
13. Integrated risk management
Part V. Conclusion
14. A role for precaution in an integrated risk management framework
References
Index.