Advertisement

A Panorama of the Philosophy of Risk

  • Sven Ove Hansson
Reference work entry

Abstract

The role of philosophy in the development of the risk sciences has been rather limited. This is unfortunate since there are many problems in the analysis and management of risk that philosophers can contribute to solving. Several of the central terms, including “risk” itself, are still in need of terminological clarification. Much of the argumentation in risk issues is unclear and in need of argumentation analysis. There is also still a need to uncover implicit or “hidden” values in allegedly value-free risk assessments. Eight philosophical perspectives in risk theory are outlined: From the viewpoint of epistemology, risk issues have brought forth problems of trust in expertise and division of epistemological labor. In decision theory, the decision-maker’s degree of control over risks is often problematic and difficult to model. In the philosophy of probability, posterior revisions of risk estimates (in so-called hindsight bias) pose a challenge to the standard model of probabilistic reasoning. In the philosophy of science, issues of risk give us reason to investigate what influence the practical uses of knowledge can legitimately have on the scientific process. In the philosophy of technology, the nature of safety engineering principles and their relationship to risk assessment need to be investigated. In ethics, the most pressing problem is how standard ethical theories can be extended or adjusted to cope with the ethics of risk taking. In the philosophy of economics, the comparison and aggregation of risks falling to different persons give rise to new foundational problems for the theory of welfare. In political philosophy, issues such as trust and consent that have been discussed in connection with risk give us reason to reconsider central issues in the theory of democracy.

Keywords

Safety Factor Moral Theory Precautionary Principle Contract Theory Safety Engineering 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. Ahteensuu M (2008) In dubio pro natura? PhD thesis in philosophy, University of TurkuGoogle Scholar
  2. Blackburn S (1973) Reason and prediction. Cambridge University Press, CambridgeGoogle Scholar
  3. Brinkmann G, Pirson J, Ehster S, Dominguez MT, Mansani L, Coe I, Moormann R, Van der Mheen W (2006) Important viewpoints proposed for a safety approach of HTGR reactors in Europe. Final results of the EC-funded HTR-L project. Nucl Eng Des 236:463–474CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Burgos R, Defeo O (2004) Long-term population structure, mortality and modeling of a tropical multi-fleet fishery: the red grouper Epinephelus morio of the Campeche bank, Gulf of Mexico. Fish Res 66:325–335CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Carlson E (1995) Consequentialism reconsidered. Kluwer, Dordrecht/BostonGoogle Scholar
  6. Clausen J, Hansson SO, Nilsson F (2006) Generalizing the safety factor approach. Reliab Eng Syst Saf 91:964–973CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Cohen BL (2003) Probabilistic risk analysis for a high-level radioactive waste repository. Risk Anal 23:909–915CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Condorcet ([1793] 1847) Plan de Constitution, presenté a la convention nationale les 15 et 16 février 1793. Oeuvres 12:333–415Google Scholar
  9. Cox R, Winkler R (2010) Spill may prompt energy mergers. New York Times June 2, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/business/03views.html. Accessed 9 June 2011
  10. Cranor CF (1997) The normative nature of risk assessment: features and possibilities. Risk Health Saf Environ 8:123–136Google Scholar
  11. Cranor CF, Nutting K (1990) Scientific and legal standards of statistical evidence in toxic tort and discrimination suits. Law Philos 9:115–156CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Donahoe FJ (1969) ‘Anomalous’ water. Nature 224:198CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Doorn N, Hansson SO (2011) Should safety factors replace probabilistic design? Philos Technol 24:151–168Google Scholar
  14. Feleppa R (1981) Epistemic utility and theory acceptance: comments on Hempel. Synthese 46:413–420CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Fischhoff B (1977) Perceived informativeness of facts. Hum Percept Perform 3(2):349–358CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Fischhoff B, Lichtenstein S, Slovic P, Derby SL, Keeney RL (1981) Acceptable risk. Cambridge University Press, CambridgeGoogle Scholar
  17. Foot P (1967) The problem of abortion and the doctrine of the double effect. Oxford Rev 5:5–15. Reprinted in her Virtues and Vices, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1978Google Scholar
  18. Handlin O, Handlin MF (1945) Origins of the American business corporation. J Econ Hist 5:1–23Google Scholar
  19. Hansson SO (1993) The false promises of risk analysis. Ratio 6:16–26CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Hansson SO (1995) The detection level. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 22:103–109CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Hansson SO (1996) Decision-making under great uncertainty. Philos Soc Sci 26:369–386CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Hansson SO (1998) Setting the limit: occupational health standards and the limits of science. Oxford University Press, New York/OxfordGoogle Scholar
  23. Hansson SO (2002) Replacing the no effect level (NOEL) with bounded effect levels (OBEL and LEBEL). Stat Med 21:3071–3078CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Hansson SO (2003a) Are natural risks less dangerous than technological risks? Philos Nat 40:43–54Google Scholar
  25. Hansson SO (2003b) Ethical criteria of risk acceptance. Erkenntnis 59:291–309CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Hansson SO (2004a) Weighing risks and benefits. Topoi 23:145–152CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Hansson SO (2004b) Fallacies of risk. J Risk Res 7:353–360CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Hansson SO (2004c) Philosophical perspectives on risk. Techne 8(1):10–35Google Scholar
  29. Hansson SO (2004d) Great uncertainty about small things. Techne 8(2):26–35Google Scholar
  30. Hansson SO (2005) Seven myths of risk. Risk Manage 7(2):7–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Hansson SO (2006a) Economic (ir)rationality in risk analysis. Econ Philos 22:231–241CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. Hansson SO (2006b) How to define – a tutorial. Princípios, Revista de Filosofia 13(19–20):5–30Google Scholar
  33. Hansson SO (2007a) Philosophical problems in cost-benefit analysis. Econ Philos 23:163–183CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. Hansson SO (2007b) Values in pure and applied science. Found Sci 12:257–268CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Hansson SO (2008) Regulating BFRs – from science to policy. Chemosphere 73:144–147CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Hansson SO (2009a) Should we protect the most sensitive people? J Radiol Prot 29:211–218CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Hansson SO (2009b) Measuring uncertainty. Studia Log 93:21–40CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Hansson SO (2010a) Promoting inherent safety. Process Saf Environ Prot 88:168–172CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Hansson SO (2010b) Past probabilities. Notre Dame J Formal Logic 51:207–233CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  40. Hansson SO, Rudén C (2006) Evaluating the risk decision process. Toxicology 218:100–111CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. Hare RM (1973) Rawls’s theory of justice. Am Philos Quart 23:144–155 and 241–252CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Harsanyi JC (1975) Can the maximin principle serve as a basis for morality – critique of Rawls, J theory. Am Pol Sci Rev 69(2):594–606CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. Harsanyi JC (1983) Bayesian decision theory, subjective and objective probabilities, and acceptance of empirical hypotheses. Synthese 57:341–365CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  44. Hayenhjelm M (2007) Trusting and taking risks: a philosophical inquiry. Ph.D. thesis, KTH, StockholmGoogle Scholar
  45. Hempel CG (1960) Inductive inconsistencies. Synthese 12:439–469CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  46. International Organization for Standardization (2002) Risk management – vocabulary – guidelines for use in standards, ISO/IEC Guide 73/2002Google Scholar
  47. Knoll F (1976) Commentary on the basic philosophy and recent development of safety margins. Can J Civ Eng 3:409–416CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  48. Krewski D, Goddard MJ, Murdoch D (1989) Statistical considerations in the interpretation of negative carcinogenicity data. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 9:5–22CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  49. Leisenring W, Ryan L (1992) Statistical properties of the NOAEL. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 15:161–171CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  50. Levi I (1962) On the seriousness of mistakes. Philos Sci 29:47–65CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  51. Levi I (1973) Gambling with truth. MIT Press, Cambridge, MAGoogle Scholar
  52. London AJ (2001) Equipoise and international human-subjects research. Bioethics 15:312–332CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  53. Lopez RE, Holle RL (1998) Changes in the number of lightning deaths in the United States during the twentieth century. J Climate 11:2070–2077CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  54. MacLean D (ed) (1985) Values at risk. Rowman & Allanheld, TotowaGoogle Scholar
  55. Mill JS ([1848] 1965) The principles of political economy with some of their applications to social philosophy. In: Robson JM (ed) Collected works of John Stuart Mill, vol 2–3. University of Toronto Press, TorontoGoogle Scholar
  56. Miller CO (1988) System safety. In: Wiener EL, Nagel DC (eds) Human factors in aviation. Academic, San Diego, pp 53–80Google Scholar
  57. Möller N, Hansson SO (2008) Principles of engineering safety: risk and uncertainty reduction. Reliab Eng Syst Saf 93:776–783CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  58. Möller N, Hansson SO, Peterson M (2006) Safety is more than the antonym of risk. J Appl Philos 23(4):419–432CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  59. Moses F (1997) Problems and prospects of reliability-based optimisation. Eng Struct 19:293–301CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  60. National Research Council (1983) Risk assessment in the federal government: managing the process. National Academy Press, Washington, DCGoogle Scholar
  61. Nozick R (1974) Anarchy, state, and utopia. Basic Books, New YorkGoogle Scholar
  62. O’Riordan T, Cameron J (eds) (1994) Interpreting the precautionary principle. Earthscan, LondonGoogle Scholar
  63. O’Riordan T, Cameron J, Jordan A (eds) (2001) Reinterpreting the precautionary principle. Cameron May, LondonGoogle Scholar
  64. Prasch RE (2004) Shifting risk: the divorce of risk from reward in American capitalism. J Econ Issues 38:405–412Google Scholar
  65. Rabinowicz W (2002) Does practical deliberation crowd out self-prediction? Erkenntnis 57:91–122CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  66. Randall FA (1976) The safety factor of structures in history. Prof Saf 1976(January):12–28Google Scholar
  67. Roeser S (2006) The role of emotions in judging the moral acceptability of risks. Saf Sci 44:689–700CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  68. Royal Society (1983) Risk assessment. Report of a Royal Society Study Group, LondonGoogle Scholar
  69. Rudén C, Hansson SO (2008) Evidence based toxicology – ‘sound science’ in new disguise. Int J Occup Environ Health 14:299–306Google Scholar
  70. Sandin P (1999) Dimensions of the precautionary principle. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 5:889–907CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  71. Shrader-Frechette K (1991) Risk and rationality: philosophical foundations for populist reforms. University of California Press, BerkeleyGoogle Scholar
  72. Simmons J (1987) Consent and fairness in planning land use. Bus Prof Ethics J 6(2):5–20Google Scholar
  73. Smith A ([1776] 1976) An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. In: Campbell RH, Skinner AS, Todd WB (eds) The Glasgow edition of the works and correspondence of Adam Smith, vol 2. Clarendon, OxfordGoogle Scholar
  74. Spohn W (1977) Where Luce and Krantz do really generalize Savage’s decision model. Erkenntnis 11:113–134CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  75. Tench W (1985) Safety is no accident. Collins, LondonGoogle Scholar
  76. Thomson JJ (1971) A defense of abortion. Philos Public Aff 1:47–66Google Scholar
  77. Thomson JJ (1985a) Imposing risk. In: Gibson M (ed) To breathe freely. Rowman & Allanheld, Totowa, pp 124–140Google Scholar
  78. Thomson PB (1985b) Risking or being willing: Hamlet and the DC-10. J Value Inquiry 19:301–310Google Scholar
  79. Walton DN (1987) Informal fallacies: towards a theory of argument criticisms. J. Benjamins, AmsterdamGoogle Scholar
  80. Williams B (1973) A critique of utilitarianism. In: Smart JJC, Williams B (eds) Utilitarianism: for and against. Cambridge University Press, LondonGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Division of PhilosophyRoyal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden

Personalised recommendations

Cite entry