Skip to main content

Problems in Public Understanding

  • Chapter
  • 156 Accesses

Abstract

How well does the American public understand the hazards of nuclear power? A poll of radiation health scientists* shows that 82% of them feel that the public’s fear of radiation is “substantially” or “grossly” exaggerated. Another poll* shows that 89% of all scientists, and 95% of all scientists involved in energy-related fields, favor proceeding with the development of nuclear power; among the public there is only a slight majority in favor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Reference Notes

  1. P. Slovic, B. Fischoff, S. Lichtenstein, “Rating the Risks,” Environment, 21, 14, April (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Effects during our lifetime are summarized in Chapter 4. Longer-term effects are summarized in Chapter 6.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Union of Concerned Scientists, “The Risks of Nuclear Power Reactors,” Cambridge, Massachusetts (1977). They give 2.4 deaths/GWe-yr, which multiplied by 50 GWe, the total amount generated in the U.S., gives 120 deaths/yr.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Opinion Research Corp, Public Attitudes toward Nuclear Power vs. Other Energy Sources. ORC Public Opinion Index, Vol. 38(17), September (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  5. C. L. Comar and L. A. Sagan, “Health Effects of Energy Production and Conversion,” Annual Review of Energy, 1, 581 (1976); L. B. Lave and L. C. Freeburg, “Health Effects of Electricity Generation from Coal, Oil, and Nuclear Fuel,” Nuclear Safety, 14(5), 409, (1973); S. M. Barrager, B. R. Judd, and D. W. North, “The Economic and Social Costs of Coal and Nuclear Electric Generation,” Stanford Research Institute Report, March (1976); Nuclear Energy Policy Study Group, “Nuclear Power—Issues and Choices” (Ballinger, Cambridge, Massa-chusetts, 1977); National Academy of Sciences Committee on Nuclear and Al-ternative Energy Systems, “Energy in Transition, 1985–2010” (W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 1980); American Medical Association Council on Scientific Affairs, “Health Evaluation of Energy Generating Sources,” Journal of the American Medical Association, 240,2193 (1978); H. Inhaber, “Risk of Energy Production,” Atomic Energy Control Board Report AECB-1119, Ottawa (1978); R. L. Gotchy, “Health Effects Attributable to Coal and Nuclear Fuel Cycle Alternatives,” U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document NUREG-0332 (1977); D. J. Rose, P. W. Walsh, and L. L. Leskovjan, “Nuclear Power- Compared to What?” American Scientist, 64, 291 (1976); Union of Concerned Scientists, “The Risks of Nuclear Power Reactors,” H. Kendall (Director), Cambridge, Massachusetts (1977); Science Advisory Office, State of Maryland, “Coal and Nuclear Power,” (1980); Norwegian Ministry of Oil and Energy, “Nuclear Power and Safety,” (1978); Ohio River Basin Energy Study (EPA), “Impacts on Human Health from Coal and Nuclear Fuel Cycles,” July (1980); United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive, “Comparative Risks of Electricity Production Systems,” (1980); Maryland Power Plant Siting Program, “Power Plant Cumulative Environmental Impact Report,” PPSP-CEIR-1 (1975); W. Ramsay, Unpaid Costs of Electrical Energy (Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1979); Legislative Office of Science Advisor, State of Michigan, “Coal and Nuclear Power” (1980); B. L. Cohen, American Scientist, 64, 291 (1976); R. Wilson and W. J. Jones, Energy, Ecology, and the Environment (Academic Press, New York, 1974); H. Fischer etal., “Comparative Effects of Different Energy Technologies,” Brookhaven National Lab Report BNL 51491 (Sept. 1981); D. K. Myers and H. B. Newcombe, “Health Effects of Energy Development,” Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. Report AECL-6678 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  6. H. Kendall, Physics Colloquium at Carnegie-Mellon University, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  7. In answer to my question, Nader replied, “Maybe we can clean up coal, or maybe we shouldn’t burn coal either.”

    Google Scholar 

  8. B. L. Cohen, “How Dangerous is Radiation, ” Ascent Magazine, 2, (4), 9 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  9. R. Kasperson, G. Berk, A. Sharaf, D. Pijawka, and J. Wood, ‘Public Opinion and Nuclear Energy: Retrospect and Prospect,’ Science, Technology, and Human Values, 11 Spring (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  10. S. Rothman and S. R. Lichter, “The Nuclear Energy Debate: Scientists, The Media, and the Public,” Public Opinion, August/September (1982), p. 47.

    Google Scholar 

  11. E. Sternglass, Secret Fallout: Low Level Radiation from Hiroshima to Three Mile Island ( McGraw Hill, New York, 1981 ).

    Google Scholar 

  12. J. W. Gofman, Radiation and Human Health ( Sierra Club Press, San Francisco, 1981 ).

    Google Scholar 

  13. H. Caldicott, Nuclear Madness ( Bantam, New York, 1981 ).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1983 Bernard L. Cohen

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Cohen, B.L. (1983). Problems in Public Understanding. In: Before it’s Too Late. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4577-0_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4577-0_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-4579-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-4577-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics