1. Risk Assessment Factors influence perceptions of risk –Bias of people with social, political or economic interests –Difficulty understanding probabilities –Personal experiences are misleading –News media is biased –Irrational fear of technologies or activities that lead us to overestimate their dangers

2. Accepting Risk The more severe the consequence, the less willing we are to accept lower likelihoods People tend to react based on emotions, not on statistics. Unknown risks are often viewed as being far worse.

6. Philosophy and Policy Innocent-Until-Proven Guilty: substances of unknown toxicity used until proven harmful –Pro: Helps innovations –Con: People could be exposed to dangerous substances. Precautionary Principle: only safest products admitted into marketplace –Pro: People are not exposed to as many chemicals –Con: Impedes technology