
Risk
A Very Short Introduction
Oxford University Press
Published on 26. May 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
192 pages
978-0-19-957620-3 (ISBN)
Description
We find risks everywhere--from genetically modified crops, medical malpractice, and stem-cell therapy to intimacy, online predators, identity theft, inflation, and robbery. They arise from our own acts and they are imposed on us. In this Very Short Introduction, Baruch Fischhoff and John Kadvany draw on the sciences and humanities to explore and explain the many kinds of risk. Using simple conceptual frameworks from decision theory and behavioural research, they examine the science and practice of creating measures of risk, showing how scientists address risks by combining historical records, scientific theories, probability, and expert judgment.Risk: A Very Short Introduction describes what has been learned by cognitive scientists about how people deal with risks, applying these lessons to diverse examples, and demonstrating how understanding risk can aid choices in everyday life and public policies for health, safety, environment, finance, and many other topics.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Illustrations
15 black and white halftones
Dimensions
Height: 173 mm
Width: 117 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
140 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-957620-3 (9780199576203)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2011
OUP eBook
€5.49
Available for download
Persons
Baruch Fischhoff is Howard Heinz University Professor in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences and Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University.
John Kadvany is a consultant to government agencies and engineering firms and has published on risk, public policy and the philosophy of science.
John Kadvany is a consultant to government agencies and engineering firms and has published on risk, public policy and the philosophy of science.
Author
Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University
Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy
Content
1. Risk decisions ; 2. Defining risks ; 3. Analyzing risks ; 4. Risk perceptions ; 5. Risk communication ; 6. Reconciling risks ; 7. Risk, culture and society