Patrick Derr

Worker/public protection: the double standard

Abstract This article is the first in a series which will explore the differences in protection from hazards provided to workers and the general public. In this article, the authors explore the extent of this differential exposure to the hazards of technology, its institutionalization in government standards in the United States and abroad, its health implications, and the justifications offered to support its practice. Subsequent articles will explore in detail the arguments for and against differential protection in the context of case studies of pesticides, lead, and nuclear power. Future articles will also evaluate the soundness of the moral arguments and will examine the ways in which society can respond to inequities and policy issues. Most of the work on which this series is based has been conducted at the Center for Technology, Environment, and Development at Clark University or by individuals associated with the Center. Roger E. Kasperson and Robert W. Kates of Clark University are co-editors of ...

Intentionality is the Mark of the Vital

Much of the philosophy of mind has been dedicated to reconciling the mental with the material. But to the extent that the “mental” is seen as equivalent to the “intentional” and the “material” as equivalent to the “biological,” the project of reconciling the intentional with the material is unnecessary. Concepts exhibiting the special logical properties thought to be unique to intentionality are a commonplace in biology. Thus, the special problem of the emergence of intentionality in human evolution, in human conscious and language, and in human culture is neither special nor of problem: in the relevant logical respects, intentionality is, and—has always been immanent in the simplest of biological systems.

Protecting Workers, Protecting Publics: The Ethics of Differential Protection

When talking about risk in the private sector, it is appropriate that attention be directed to the host of issues currently besieging those charged with health and safety responsibility in industry, labor, and the federal government. These issues include such topics as: What role should science and values play in risk assessment? How should product liability and insurance best contribute to risk management in the private sector? How may the new developments in science and technology best be incorporated into occupational health and safety policies? What new institutional initiatives should be taken by the various components of society?