| Honors 101 - Science and the Public Good | |||||
| Course Syllabus | Course Schedule | Assignments | Department Home Page | ||
Dread
Factor |
“Knowability”
factor |
||
Controllable |
Uncontrollable
|
Not
Observable |
Observable |
Not Dread
|
Dread |
Unknown
to Those Exposed |
Known to
those Exposed |
Consequences
Not Fatal |
Consequences
Fatal |
Effect Delayed |
Effect Immediate |
Equitable
|
Not Equitable
|
New Risk |
Old Risk
|
Individual
|
Catastrophic
|
Risk Unknown
to Science |
Risks Known
to Science |
Low Risk
to Future Generations |
High Risk
to Future Generations |
Example:
Genetically engineered food |
Example:
Bees |
Easily Reduced
|
Not Easily
Reduced |
||
Risk Decreasing |
Risk Increasing |
||
Voluntary |
Involuntary |
||
Example:
X-rays |
Example:
Nuclear power |
||
Source: Slovic, P., 1987, Perception of risk. Science, 236:280-285.