# Does society risk my life through safety? The perils of too much risk-aversion

- Institution: Gresham College
- Speaker: Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli
- Year: 2007
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Business and management, Philosophy
- Source: [Gresham College](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/does-society-risk-my-life-through-safety-perils-too-much-risk-aversion)
- Licence: [Educational use (Gresham College's terms)](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/terms-and-conditions)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

We would all like a riskless life, right? The Precautionary Principle embodies the idea that if the consequences of an action are unknown, but are judged to have potential for major or irreversible negative consequences, then it is better for society to avoid that action. Yet society's adherence to the Precautionary Principle and knee-jerk responses to avoid future disasters can worsen our risks as we all fall prey to the Illusion of Control.

## Lectures

1. [Does society risk my life through safety? The perils of too much risk-aversion](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/does-society-risk-my-life-through-safety-perils-too-much-risk-aversion/1d3b53ef3bdf) (YouTube)