Worst-Case ScenariosHarvard University Press, 2009 M05 15 - 352 pages Nuclear bombs in suitcases, anthrax bacilli in ventilators, tsunamis and meteors, avian flu, scorchingly hot temperatures: nightmares that were once the plot of Hollywood movies are now frighteningly real possibilities. How can we steer a path between willful inaction and reckless overreaction? |
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... serious response . But consider an obvious objection to this position . A 1 percent chance of a terrible outcome is a lot better than a certainty of a ter- rible outcome . In order to figure out what to do , you should multi- ply the ...
... serious hardships on many nations , including not just the United States but India and China as well . Perhaps those hardships would entail significant increases in unemploy- ment and hence poverty . If the world devotes resources to ...
... serious health scare will often fear a bad outcome in a roughly sim- ilar situation , whether or not their fear has any objective basis . By contrast , those who have no relevant experience may believe that an unlikely event is unworthy ...
... serious cautionary notes about some proposed efforts to pro- tect against climate change . The idea of cost - benefit analysis raises many questions , both technical and less technical , about whether and how to turn risks and worst ...
... serious illness ? Do they refer to higher prices for consumer products ? To lower wages ? Qualitative as well as quanti- tative information is important . But in deciding how to respond to worst - case scenarios , monetary equivalents ...