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The Environment

Philosophy

The Precautionary Principle (PP)

The Precautionary Principle is all about where you put the burden of evidence when dealing with risks.

Suppose I Invent a new biotechnology. Do I have to prove that it is safe before using it? Or can I use it as long as nobody has proven that it is unsafe? It follows that for some risks it is much better to exercise caution and wait until something is proven safe, rather than using/doing this thing too soon and later finding out that it was a mistake.

Recommended Reading

2023 Chaos Kings

  • Book by Scott Patterson
  • See Part III and chapter 18 in particular
  • Gives an easy to read context around the 2014 Taleb paper et al. paper

2014 Taleb et al. Paper

  • Title: The Precautionary Principle (with Application to the Genetic Modification of Organisms)
  • Aims to avoid over-use of PP by confining precaution to specific domains
  • Uses GMOs as an example of a severe risk with global consequences
  • Link

2001 European Environment Agency Case Studies

  • Title: Late lessons from early warnings:the precautionary principle 1896–2000
  • Topics include: Asbestos, Mad Cow Disease and the Ozone Layer
  • Link