ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses several ways of incorporating emotions in political decision making about risky technologies. It examines the possibilities of this approach by discussing a variety of technological risks, related to nuclear energy, climate change, health technologies and architecture. Nuclear energy's most salient risk is that of a meltdown. The main goal of risk communication is to inform the public about risks. Risk communication about climate change should be directed at the emotions of politicians and people working in industry as well as at the emotions of the public. The chapter argues that the emotional deliberation approach to risk can provide fruitful insights into highly sensitive issues of ethical and risky aspects of health technologies. A recent development in cancer treatment is to use genetically modified (GM) viruses that can attack tumor tissue and provide treatments against cancer. Emotions and moral views are shaped by the environment and culture in which people are raised.
