Baruch Fischhoff Quotations

This is a case where they did an exceptionally good job on the natural science and a really poor job on the social science.

Are we prepared to lose a major city every year? ... It's cowardice not to ask the question and cowardice on the public's part not to get engaged in the answer.

Effects of Fear and Anger on Perceived Risks of Terrorism. People want to be treated as adults. They want you to level with them even if the truth is uncomfortable.

I don't know if the learning is as systematic as it needs to be.

You really can encourage people to behave in certain ways. But if we have plans that depend on human behavior, they ought to be realistic.

The medical experts' estimates suggest this is a bigger risk than anything else we are facing.

With things of a human origin, it's harder to objectively figure out the probabilities. To the best of my knowledge, people are not doing credible analysis on the risks facing this country, and if they were, who's to know that those are static probabilities?

I don't see anybody talking in terms of shame. I don't see any soul-searching.