L&S Curricular Connections

What does “risk” mean? How can it be measured or estimated? Which risks are worth worrying about, and which are not? Which should you be more concerned about: driving while texting, salmonella in Caesar salad, global warming, BPA, living near power lines, or a major earthquake? To what extent can laws and regulations reduce risks or protect us from risks such as these? To what extent should they? How much should society be willing to pay to insure us from such risks? This course addresses these questions by examining a variety of risks ranging from earthquakes to food contaminants to nuclear power to cellphones, and legislative and regulatory responses to those risks.