Contribution to Book
Improving Scientists’ Judgments of Risk
Environmental Impact Assessment, Technology Assessment, and Risk Analysis
(1985)
Abstract
Despite the high concern about the risks from scientific and technological developments, little progress has been made toward providing the public with usable information about such risks. As a result, doubt, confusion, and uncertainty hamper formation of public policies concerning the further development of nuclear power, the disposal of toxic waste, the use of food additives and insecticides, the causes and consequences of acid rain and other scientific and technological issues. Moreover, policy makers who rely on scientists for information about such issues are often frustrated by conflicting counsel. For example, commenting on the report from the Ford Foundation Energy Project. Brooks (1975) complained that: “The whole thing presents a divergence of values and political prejudices which is truly depressing. If experts are so at loggerheads, how can the public and the politicians fail to be confused? The expert views seem to leave almost unlimited scope for all possible national energy policies.”
Disciplines
Publication Date
1985
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
DOI
10.1007/978-3-642-70634-9_17
Citation Information
Kenneth R. Hammond, Barry F Anderson, Jeffrey Sutherland and Barbara Marvin. "Improving Scientists’ Judgments of Risk" Environmental Impact Assessment, Technology Assessment, and Risk Analysis (1985) p. 485 - 514 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/barry_anderson/4/