Objective Human decisions can be evaluated on whether they exemplify some precaution. For instance, the mayor was praised for being precautionary in reinforcing the dike along the river. Precaution has recently been raised at the level of a principle – the Precautionary Principle – which has acquired a widely recognized status in national and international law. This project conducts a philosophical analysis of conceptual and fundamental issues on the Precautionary Principle and on precaution more generally. I aim at understanding why being precautionary makes sense from a rational viewpoint, both at the individual (Objective A) and collective (Objective B) levels, and from an ethical viewpoint (objective C).- Objective A is to clarify the relation between the Precautionary Principle and decision theory more generally, by specifying whether there are inconsistencies or unnoticed linked between the two. I will investigate whether the Precautionary Principle can apply gradually, and whether it amounts to some uncertainty aversion or risk aversion.- Objective B is to understand what being precautionary as a group implies. I aim to specify on what conditions a group can be precautionary and consistent, or rational, in its judgments. My strategy is to extend the existing belief and probability aggregation theories, and state (im)possibility theorems.- Objective C is to determine what being ethically precautionary could mean. Since being precautionary for oneself may amount to impose risk on others, I aim to assess the particular ethical problems it may create. I shall proceed comparatively, starting from existing views in the ethics of risk.The project combines several methods: conceptual analysis, formal/mathematical modelling, the analysis of case-studies, and an innovative cross-fertilization of philosophical analyses of the Precautionary Principle with literature from several domains: decision theory (A), aggregation theory (B), ethical analyses of risk (C). Fields of science social scienceslawinternational lawnatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model Keywords Precaution rationality group rationality decision theory judgment aggregation probability aggregation ethics of risk Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE Net EU contribution € 195 454,80 Address Houghton street 1 WC2A 2AE London United Kingdom See on map Region London Inner London — West Westminster Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
