The Third Dimension of Risk

Abstract

When faced with uncertainty or when mediating in conflicts - negotiating possible compensations and reaching agreements - we tend to try to objectify risks. We ignore the subjective elements of the situation, or anything that depends on interpretation. But there is always some element which cannot be reduced to economics, and which is necessarily political in nature. A little story illustrates this better than a long proof, and it also gives us the opportunity to enjoy some of Milan Kundera’s writing which gives a delicious and accurate description of this delicate topic.