Overview

What is risk? How do we assess risk? What are the ethical implications of risk? The concept of risk is important – sometimes even crucial – for many philosophical domains, from philosophy of science and technology to ethics and sustainability. Philosophy and Science of Risk is a clear, wide-ranging introduction to this urgent and fast-growing subject. It covers the following key topics: • The philosophical and historical background to understanding and interpreting risk • The meaning of risk and how it differs from closely related concepts, such as uncertainty or dangers • The social construction of risk • Risk perception and risk as an object of scientific study • The measurement of risk, its probability and severity • Risk and scientific modeling • Risk, value judgments, and expertise • Risk management, including cost-benefit analysis and the precautionary approach • Risk communication, including deliberative models • Ethics of risk, including duties toward nonhuman animals and future generations • Risk and sustainability • Decision-making under risk Including helpful additional features such as text boxes, chapter summaries, review, and discussion questions, Philosophy and Science of Risk: An Introduction is an ideal textbook for students of the philosophy of risk. It is also suitable for students studying the conceptual questions surrounding risk in related subjects, such as sociology, psychology, economics, politics, geography, sustainability, and environmental studies.

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9780367086442

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Reviews

'Risk assessment and management has become one of the defining issues of our time, but philosophical reflection on risk has unfortunately been lagging behind. No longer! This groundbreaking and lucid book brings together philosophy, psychology, economics, and other disciplines to rejuvenate our understanding of the issues surrounding risk. This amazing tour de force will shape the agenda for anyone thinking about risk for years.' - Edouard Machery, University of Pittsburgh, USA 'This is an important book that consolidates risk research from a variety of disciplines and integrates insights in a comprehensive and accessible way. The authors have made an impressive achievement by discussing the complex and sometimes diverging empirical and philosophical research and setting out important paths for reflection. The book is clearly structured by discussing ontological, rational, epistemological, psychological and ethical approaches to risk in separate thematic chapters. These chapters clearly inform each other while also highlighting possible tensions between different approaches. Furthermore, the book makes a unique contribution in being suitable as a textbook that can be readily used in a class on risk, including examples, study questions and assignments.' - Sabine Roeser, TU Delft, The Netherlands 'Philosophy and Science of Risk is an excellent and truly interdisciplinary introduction to the the many facets of risk research. It combines philosophical rigour and curiosity with important psychological research on risk. As an introductory textbook, it succeeds in guiding a reader through a variety of topics, such as decision-making under risk, the perception of risk, the assessment of risk, and finally the management and communication of risk in an accessible and critical manner. Each chapter draws on different everyday examples and critical discussion points so to make the philosophical issues that arise from the different perspectives on risk (be they more subjective or objective) more impactful and relevant. It will be my go-to textbook for my own philosophy of risk course and I’m happy to recommend it.' - Philip Ebert, University of Stirling, UK

'Risk assessment and management has become one of the defining issues of our time, but philosophical reflection on risk has unfortunately been lagging behind. No longer! This groundbreaking and lucid book brings together philosophy, psychology, economics, and other disciplines to rejuvenate our understanding of the issues surrounding risk. This amazing tour de force will shape the agenda for anyone thinking about risk for years.' - Edouard Machery, University of Pittsburgh, USA 'This is an important book that consolidates risk research from a variety of disciplines and integrates insights in a comprehensive and accessible way. The authors have made an impressive achievement by discussing the complex and sometimes diverging empirical and philosophical research and setting out important paths for reflection. The book is clearly structured by discussing ontological, rational, epistemological, psychological and ethical approaches to risk in separate thematic chapters. These chapters clearly inform each other while also highlighting possible tensions between different approaches. Furthermore, the book makes a unique contribution in being suitable as a textbook that can be readily used in a class on risk, including examples, study questions and assignments.' - Sabine Roeser, TU Delft, The Netherlands 'Philosophy and Science of Risk is an excellent and truly interdisciplinary introduction to the the many facets of risk research. It combines philosophical rigour and curiosity with important psychological research on risk. As an introductory textbook, it succeeds in guiding a reader through a variety of topics, such as decision-making under risk, the perception of risk, the assessment of risk, and finally the management and communication of risk in an accessible and critical manner. Each chapter draws on different everyday examples and critical discussion points so to make the philosophical issues that arise from the different perspectives on risk (be they more subjective or objective) more impactful and relevant. It will be my go-to textbook for my own philosophy of risk course and I'm happy to recommend it.' - Philip Ebert, University of Stirling, UK

Author Information

Isabelle Peschard is an associate professor emerita and lecturer faculty in the Philosophy Department at San Francisco State University, USA. Yann Benétreau-Dupin is a division editor at PLOS ONE for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Neuroscience, Mental Health Team, and a visiting scholar at San Francisco State University, USA. Christopher Wessels is a lecturer faculty in the Philosophy Department at San Francisco State University, USA.

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