Skip to content
Sun, Oct 11, 2026 / Ideas for a clearer worldINDEPENDENT INSIGHTS · PRACTICAL TOOLS · EXPLAINERS
Sign in
Professional Ethics & Human Values / September 14, 2021

Problems faced by engineers about public concept of safety

The optimistic attitude that things that are familiar, that have not caused harm before and over which we have some control present no risks. The serious shock people feel when an accident kills or maims people in large numbers or harms those we know, even though statistically speaking such accidents might occur infrequently.

The optimistic attitude that things that are familiar, that have not caused harm before and over which we have some control present no risks.

The serious shock people feel when an accident kills or maims people in large numbers or harms those we know, even though statistically speaking such accidents might occur infrequently.