Acceptable Evidence: Science and Values in Risk Management (Environmental Ethics and Science Policy) [Hardcover]

Deborah G. Mayo (Editor), Rachelle D. Hollander (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195063724 | ISBN-13: 978-0195063721 | Publication Date: November 14, 1991

Discussions of science and values in risk management have largely focussed on the entry of values in judging risks, that is, issues of acceptable risk. This volume instead concentrates on the entry of values in collecting, interpreting, communicating, and evaluating the evidence of risks, that is, issues of the acceptability of evidence of risk. By focusing on acceptable evidence, this volume avoids two barriers to progress: views that assume that evidence of risk is largely a matter of objective scientific data and therefore uncontroversial, and views that assume that evidence of risk is ineluctably a matter of values and therefore not amenable to reasoned critique. This volume denies both extremes. It argues for a more constructive conclusion: that understanding the interrelations of scientific with value issues enables a critical scrutiny of risk assessments. This volume analyzes environmental and medical controversies, and assumptions underlying views about risk assessment and the scientific and statistical models used in risk management. Contributors include philosophers, policy analysts, and natural and social scientists.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent survey of a number of issues in environmental ethics."--Joel B. Goldsteen, University of Texas at Arlington

"This volume shows that rational, critical approaches to value-laden risk judgments can be fruitful, making possible more sophisticated risk assessments and risk management that better comprehends the values at stake....The focus on evidence of risk and values holds together the diversity of perspectives and real world examples, making the volume useful for teaching."--Ethics

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Deborah G. Mayo is at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Rachelle D. Hollander is at National Science Foundation. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 14, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195063724
• ISBN-13: 978-0195063721
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,242,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)