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Reasonable Precaution or Unjust Discrimination? Applying a Lexical Utility Model of the Precautionary Principle to Moral Choices

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  • Thomas Boyer-Kassem

    (MAPP [Poitiers] - Métaphysique allemande et philosophie pratique - UP - Université de Poitiers = University of Poitiers)

  • Sébastien Duchêne

    (CEE-M - Centre d'Economie de l'Environnement - Montpellier - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement - UM - Université de Montpellier)

Abstract

In some applications to human beings, the precautionary principle seems to raise specific ethical concerns. For instance, it has been used by a business owner in a court of justice to justify his refusal to hire applicants with a certain geographical origin for safety reasons. Or in public management, the precautionary principle has been used to exclude men who have sexual relations with men from donating blood on the basis of a higher HIV prevalence in this group. Does not the precautionary principle here amount to justifying a form of discrimination? To help analyze what is at stake from a decision-theoretic viewpoint and to consider the possibility of ethical catastrophes, we offer a lexical utility model of the precautionary principle, which generalizes a previous model by Bartha and DesRoches (Synthese 199:8701-8740, 2021), Steel and Bartha (Risk Anal https:// doi. org/ 10. 1111/ risa. 13892, 2022). Traditional expected utility theory also comes out as a special case of the model. Our proposal opens new perspectives for considering ethical dilemmas within a precautionary approach. It is intended to serve as a guiding tool for management teams in socially responsible companies, public institutions, and government agencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Boyer-Kassem & Sébastien Duchêne, 2025. "Reasonable Precaution or Unjust Discrimination? Applying a Lexical Utility Model of the Precautionary Principle to Moral Choices," Post-Print hal-04992277, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04992277
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-024-05833-6
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-04992277v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Per Sandin & Martin Peterson & Sven Ove Hansson & Christina Rudén & André Juthe, 2002. "Five charges against the precautionary principle," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(4), pages 287-299, October.
    2. Gollier, Christian & Jullien, Bruno & Treich, Nicolas, 2000. "Scientific progress and irreversibility: an economic interpretation of the 'Precautionary Principle'," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 229-253, February.
    3. Kevin Lang & Ariella Kahn-Lang Spitzer, 2020. "Race Discrimination: An Economic Perspective," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(2), pages 68-89, Spring.
    4. Mario L. Small & Devah Pager, 2020. "Sociological Perspectives on Racial Discrimination," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(2), pages 49-67, Spring.
    5. Martin Peterson, 2006. "The Precautionary Principle Is Incoherent," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(3), pages 595-601, June.
    6. Nicos Scordis, 2011. "The Morality of Risk Modeling," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 103(1), pages 7-16, April.
    7. Thomas Boyer‐Kassem, 2017. "Is the Precautionary Principle Really Incoherent?," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(11), pages 2026-2034, November.
    8. Martin Peterson, 2017. "Yes, The Precautionary Principle Is Incoherent," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(11), pages 2035-2038, November.
    9. Thomas Boyer‐Kassem, 2017. "The Precautionary Principle Has Not Been Shown to Be Incoherent: A Reply to Peterson," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(11), pages 2039-2040, November.
    10. Thomas Boyer-Kassem & Sébastien Duchêne, 2020. "On discrimination in health insurance," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 55(1), pages 5-23, June.
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    Keywords

    lexical utility; Precautionary principle; Discrimination; Ethics; Dilemma;
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