false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178382474m/790195.jpg 790195 1 <p> Nuclear bombs in suitcases, anthrax bacilli in ventilators, tsunamis and meteors, avian flu, scorchingly hot temperatures: nightmares that were once the plot of Hollywood movies are now frighteningly real possibilities. How can we steer a path between willful inaction and reckless overreaction? </p><p> Cass Sunstein explores these and other worst-case scenarios and how we might best prevent them in this vivid, illuminating, and highly original analysis. Singling out the problems of terrorism and climate change, Sunstein explores our susceptibility to two opposite and unhelpful reactions: panic and utter neglect. He shows how private individuals and public officials might best respond to low-probability risks of disaster--emphasizing the need to know what we will lose from precautions as well as from inaction. Finally, he offers an understanding of the uses and limits of cost-benefit analysis, especially when current generations are imposing risks on future generations. </p><p> Throughout, Sunstein uses climate change as a defining case, because it dramatically illustrates the underlying principles. But he also discusses terrorism, depletion of the ozone layer, genetic modification of food, hurricanes, and worst-case scenarios faced in our ordinary lives. Sunstein concludes that if we can avoid the twin dangers of over-reaction and apathy, we will be able to ameliorate if not avoid future catastrophes, retaining our sanity as well as scarce resources that can be devoted to more constructive ends. </p> 776180 19 11 2007 Worst-Case Scenarios total:6|5:1|4:2|3:3| 6 22 20 0 0 0 false false Fri Oct 30 15:34:42 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 30 15:34:42 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed May 27 22:52:22 -0700 2009 Wed May 27 22:52:22 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue May 19 20:10:33 -0700 2009 Tue May 19 20:10:33 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Tue Jul 21 10:52:32 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 12 11:29:28 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 21 10:52:32 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue Mar 03 14:50:39 -0800 2009 Tue Mar 03 14:50:39 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Wed Feb 04 15:24:11 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 04 15:24:18 -0800 2009 5 0 false false Fri Mar 13 19:41:26 -0700 2009 Tue Jan 20 15:09:42 -0800 2009 Fri Mar 27 14:02:02 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Fri Dec 12 19:52:43 -0800 2008 Fri Dec 12 20:30:23 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Tue Nov 11 06:46:40 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 11 06:46:42 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Sun Sep 07 16:15:00 -0700 2008 Sun Sep 07 16:15:00 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Tue Aug 26 08:03:31 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 26 08:03:31 -0700 2008 3 0 false false Mon Sep 07 08:55:37 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 08 08:50:28 -0700 2008 Mon Sep 07 08:55:37 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sun May 04 19:29:24 -0700 2008 Sun May 04 19:29:30 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Sat Aug 09 04:50:01 -0700 2008 Fri May 02 10:57:07 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 09 04:50:01 -0700 2008 3 0 false false Sun Jan 20 16:17:25 -0800 2008 Sun Jan 20 16:17:25 -0800 2008 3 0 false false Sat Jan 05 00:25:39 -0800 2008 Sat Jan 05 00:25:39 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Tue Jan 01 23:15:51 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 01 23:15:54 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Tue Dec 11 18:00:45 -0800 2007 Sat Jun 13 19:08:53 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Sat Nov 24 19:55:59 -0800 2007 Sat Nov 24 19:55:59 -0800 2007 0 0 false false Fri Oct 12 16:45:48 -0700 2007 Fri Oct 12 16:45:51 -0700 2007 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=790195