ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses that in fact there is no single precautionary principle. "The precautionary principle" has simply come to stand for too many different things, and some of the core values at its heart are deeply incommensurable. The precautionary principle has been proposed as a possible guide to addressing all sorts of threats of harm in all sorts of contexts. It explores different interpretations of the precautionary principle that, together, ground the argument that there is no single precautionary principle or way to unify all that has come to be associated with this concept. The tripod is the three-part structure versions of the precautionary principle must have: a knowledge condition, harm condition, and recommended precaution. The most significant challenge to a unified precautionary principle, especially in environmental contexts, stems from the fact that the precautionary principle has come to be associated both with environmental protection and the protection of human health because these ends sometimes conflict.
