What is the
problem?
Risk
Some say it all comes down to a question of risk. If some action is potentially very serious but is not likely to harm you, you might risk it if the benefits and high (e.g., extreme sports). On the other hand you might thing carefully about running across a motorway, no matter how much you wanted to get to the other side. It is often seen as a question of balance - hazard vs. safety, benefit vs. cost.
But some risks also go beyond the individual's own choices or preferences.
Choices we make now may have an effect on society and/or the environment for future generations.
We need to be sure that our actions are fair, right and proper so that any risks that do arise are fairly shared out.
Would it be ethical to ignore the problem of radioactive waste in our lifetimes only for it to become a more serious problem in a few hundred years?
There are many other similar situations for the current generation to consider - the problem of global warming and humankind's influence on global climate, the rapid decline in the ozone layer which protects life on Earth from solar ultraviolet radiation. There are many more …
How good are you at judging
risk? Find out in KU
World!
Source: Galson Sciences Limited