ABSTRACT
At various times in my career and in various capacities and circumstances, I have come across techniques of rational risk assessment, but I am not an expert on them. Although I have frequently encountered issues that require the use of such techniques, I regret that most people know more about them than I do. So, my function in this section is to be provocative. The manner of my provocation is to argue that, although it is admirable to rescue so large a class of decisions from politics and prejudices, one can go too far with it to the public detriment, unless economic considerations are taken into account.
