Philosophy
The Ethics of Risk and the Precautionary Principle
Quick fact
The precautionary principle is encoded in laws worldwide, including the 1992 Rio Declaration, which states that lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason to postpone cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.
Why this is interesting
We often think we should wait for proof before acting, but what if waiting for proof could lead to a catastrophe we could have prevented?