When the concept of «risk» becomes dangerous

Abstract

Data from research carried out at the Sines refinery show that the impressive use of the probabilistic notion of «risk» is empirically inappropriate, and may lead to new operational dangers. While the limitations of probabilistic analysis become clearer in complex technological scenarios, no less worrying are the semantic effects of the dominance of the concept of «risks» in power relations between technoscience, corporations, state and citizens.