Risk ethics one calls a subsection of the ethics. The subject of the risk ethics is the moral evaluation of actions, whose consequences are afflicted with uncertainties regarding their occurring, use and damage. It is concerned with the general question, under which conditions a person may expose itself or others to a risk. The risk ethics as range of the applied ethics treats this question particularly in connection with social risks like the use of technologies or the permission of medicines brook man, A., et al. (2006). Elements of the risk ethics. Final report of the seminar "„ethical risk evaluation "“. On-line one: http://www.ethikdiskurs.ch/umweltethik/Elemente_Risikoethikpdf.pdf (access 16.4.2006).

Introduction

Moral classification of an action

Ethics generally tries to give answers on the question: "„Which I am to "“, and/or: "„Which we are to "“. So that this question arises at all, two or more action options must for the order, whereby nothing doing must be understood here also as option. Ethics tries to find rules and justify, over in a concrete choice situation action options morally to evaluate as required, permissible or forbade. The evaluation can take place in principle on the basis different aspects, e.g. on the basis the intention, the action, at the expected consequences or at the actual consequences.

Typical characteristics of risk-ethical practice problems

For the risk ethics it is of special importance that the action sequences cannot be foreseen at the time of the action decision surely. Typically Entscheider and risk carriers are not identical for an risk-ethical practice problem. In addition expected use and expected risks are often distributed and/or disputed between groups of requirements asymmetrically.

Example: Release of genetically changed organisms. Chances and risks of the genetically changed organisms (GVO) are strongly disputed. In accordance with most optimistic expectations the hunger and health problems of the world are solved by GVO. In the worst discussed case the whole earth of a superorganism, the everything else lives extinguishes Goklany, Indur M. is over-rampantly grown (2000). Applying the Precautionary Principle ton of Genetically Modified Crops. In: Genetically Modified Foods - Debating Biotechnology. Micheal Ruse & David Castle (Eds.). Amherst, New York: Prometheus. Perhaps also only some few persons or companies become enrich, while many other become somewhat poorer. Or many profit from improved food, while few suffer, e.g. under new food incompatibilities. Can the permission of genetically changed organisms good-be called If, which requirements are for a permission to

Risk term

Within the risk ethics exist different definitions of risk (see detailed). This article is the basis an understanding, which risk sees as product of damage and probability. Thus risk = damage X probability. Probability is to understand here as mathematical probability. Damage as negatively evaluated consequence in a utilitaristischen understanding. For an action option an expectancy value can be computed by summation of all possible risks.

Possible decision criteria

In the literature to the risk ethics in the last decades (conditions by 2006) different criteria were discussed, which handles to offer is for the regulation of morally permissible or demanded action options.

Bayes

The Bayes principle demands to maximize the social total use and corresponds thereby to a utilitaristischen demand. Whom damage and use come, is not from importance: The damage, which is caused to a person, can be counterbalanced by the use of another person. Technically the Bayes principle demands the following procedure:

1. The action options are listed.
2. The possible consequences (positive like negative) each action are listed and evaluated.
3. Additionally for each action one intends, with which probability a consequence occurs.
4. Probability and evaluation of the consequence are multiplied in each case and the products are summed.
5. The action option, which obtains the highest sum, is morally required.

Criticism at the Bayes principle can set in different places. For use and damage evaluations must be found, which all participants could agree rationally (and/or to agree would have, if they were rational). Here it is contentious whether this is possible. Use and damage count themselves in accordance with the Bayes principle up, and it is unimportant, who use and who carries damage. That is, that the whole use to a group of requirements can come, while the other one carries the entire risks. Under the criterion of the justice this is problematic. Prominent representative of the Bayes principle in the risk ethics was John C. HarsanyiHarsanyi, J.C. (1975). CAN the Maximin Principle Serve as A basis before A Critique OF John Rawls' s Theory. American Political Science Review 59, 594-606.

Maximin

The Maximin principle demands to select that action option with which the largest possible damage is smallest. In the literature partly also of the mini max principle one speaks ("„minimize the maximum damage! "“) Technical demands the Maximin principle the following procedure:

1. The action options are listed.
2. The possible consequences (positive like negative) each action are listed and evaluated.
3. With each action option is determined the largest in each case possible damage.
4. The action option, with which the largest possible damage is smallest, is morally required.

The Maximin principle is considered as conservatively, since it considers only possible damage, even if the probability of damage is extremely small. Meanwhile possible use one ignores. The Maximin principle is therefore judged of some authors as In the context to the Maximin principle the precaution principle corresponds to political philosophy (see also to G.E. moorlands).

Agreement

The agreement criterion requires that persons only one risk may be imposed, if they (e.g. Nida Rmelin, Julian agreed (1996). Ethics of the risk. In: ders. (Hrsg.): Applied ethics. Stuttgart: P. 806-831.). From it different practical problems result:

1. Consistently applied, all persons, who are exposed to a risk of a damage with an action, receive a right of veto against this action by the demand for agreement. Genetically changed organisms might be for example only set free thus, if all concerning (after the worst scenario thus all ground connection inhabitants) a release had potentially agreed. Accepted that to each action a person potentially risk-concerned lets itself be found, who does not agree would be thereby all risky actions morally forbidden.
2. Those would not wind up to potentially ask all concerning previous to eruieren and for agreement is material to carry out (to high transaction costs). In accordance with an example of K.P. rib might go during a consistent demand for agreement only with the roll suit-case to the station, who would before have asked all persons, who could potentially over it stolpern, for agreement. Since this is unrealistic, many everyday actions would have to be omitted (paralysis of the everyday life) or most everyday actions would be amoralisch, which however no meaningful moral regulation can be.

Threshold values

The idea of threshold values is appropriate to judge a causing "„more trivially "“risks generally than morally permissible. The paralysis of the all daily discussed with the agreement criterion would for example not be to be feared, if agreement were necessary starting from a certain extent only for causing of risks. However is unclear, as such thresholds could be justified rationally.

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