* Up to date discussion of current issues and scientific controversies. * Challenges the claim that the 'precautionary principle' is an appropriate guide to public policy decisions-making in the face of uncertainty. The precautionary principle is frequently invoked as a justification for regulating human activities. From bans on the use of growth hormones in cattle to restrictions on children's playground activities, precautionary thinking seems to be taking over our lives. As the contributors to this book show, such an approach is of dubious utility and may even be counterproductive. A challenge to the notion that the precautionary principle is an appropriate guide to public policy decision-making during times of uncertainty. Shows why such an approach is dubious and may be counterproductive, as precautionary thinking seems to spread and take over. Softcover.