Ethical and Social Aspects in Comprehensive Risk Assessment

This paper presents the impressions from a seminar held on Ethical and Social Aspects in Comprehensive Risk Assessment in Zurich in 1990. The seminar consisted of seven presentations, followed by discussions. The emphasis has been on the ethical aspects, although legal, sociological, psychological and technical issues have also been introduced. Many examples and much of the discussions were concerned with the ethics of nuclear electricity generation. In the paper the different approaches are highlighted. No ripe quantitative methodology which would enable risk assessors to incorporate these aspects into their assessments have been suggested. Observations and conclusions relevant to the risk assessment and appraisal are offered. One of the conclusions is that only in a techno-socio-political process can, to some extent, the different views be accommodated and reconciled.