Is There Such a Thing as a Precautionary Science?
An Analysis of the Influence of Precaution in the Generation of Regulatory Knowledge
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52712/issn.1850-0013-425Keywords:
precautionary science, precautionary principle, science and technology regulation, regulatory science, risk assessment, benefit assessmentAbstract
The precautionary principle has been the guiding idea of precautionary regulation of science and technology, i.e., regulation that goes beyond simple risk assessment. Here we argue that, nowadays, due to the current state of science and technology regulation, it might make sense to differentiate the precautionary principle from a different kind of regulation, one that we will term “precautionary science”. The latter is important in regulatory processes that aim at managing uncertainty by applying methods like post-marketing monitoring or the reversal of the burden of proof. The precautionary principle, in contrast, tries to minimize uncertainty by renouncing the generation of scientific information, and proceeding directly with the substitution of scientific-technological products and processes considered more benign for others that are considered potentially dangerous. In sum, the precautionary principle aims at reorienting technological development, while precautionary science is geared towards the generation of information about potential consequences of products, as well as their controlled management.
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