Question 1

The rationalization of risk has not been complete. In fact, according to the 2013 Harris Poll, ______% of American adults believe that God can perform miracles?
A) 72%
B) 26%
C) 14%
D) 50%

Accepted Answer

According to the 2013 Harris Poll, 72% of American adults believe that God can perform miracles.

Question 2

Which system is tightly "coupled"?
A) Nuclear power plant
B) University
C) Mining operation
D) Road transport

Accepted Answer

A nuclear power plant is a tightly coupled system because the various components and subsystems are highly interdependent, and a malfunction or failure of one part of the system can quickly lead to a catastrophic failure of the entire system. The stakes are high in a nuclear power plant, and there is little room for error or delay. In contrast, universities, mining operations, and road transport are all more loosely coupled systems, where failure or breakdown of one part of the system is less likely to lead to catastrophic consequences.

Question 3

Ulrich Beck argues that the driving force behind the risk society can be characterized by which of the following statements?
A) I am hungry.
B) I am angry.
C) I am lonely.
D) I am afraid.

Accepted Answer

Ulrich Beck argues that the driving force behind the risk society is fear, as individuals are becoming increasingly aware of the potential dangers and risks in modern society. This fear and concern for personal safety and well-being is driving the need for risk assessment and management in various aspects of life.

Question 4

Horizontal knowledge gaps are:
A) gaps between experts and other experts.
B) gaps between experts and non experts.
C) gaps between professors and students.
D) gaps between parents and children.

Accepted Answer

Horizontal knowledge gaps refer to the differences in knowledge or understanding between individuals who are considered experts in their respective fields.

Question 5

The chapter concludes by saying that in order to construct a dialogic rationality of risk, we need to cultivate:
A) trust.
B) truth.
C) theory.
D) trees.

Accepted Answer

The chapter emphasizes the importance of trust in creating a dialogic rationality of risk. Building trust involves creating a space for dialogue, respecting diverse viewpoints, and taking steps to address power imbalances.

Question 6

Kai Erikson calls human induced disasters a "new species of trouble" because they have which of the following features:
A) The crumbling of trust and the shredding of community ties
B) A chronic social trauma that victims only slowly recover from
C) A pervasive sense of dread about what the future brings
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Kai Erikson characterizes human induced disasters as a "new species of trouble" because they possess all the features listed in choices A, B, and C. These include the erosion of trust and community bonds, enduring psychological trauma for victims, and a sense of unease and uncertainty about the future.

Question 7

According to the textbook, what do we need more of in order to renew faith in science?
A) Dialogue
B) Universal and permanent truths
C) Trust in experts
D) Certainty

Accepted Answer

According to the textbook, we need more dialogue in order to renew faith in science. The text emphasizes the importance of open communication and engagement between scientists and the public in order to build trust and understanding.

Question 8

Which of the following arguments contradicts the risk society theory?
A) Environmental bads are not equally distributed.
B) In poor countries, "I am hungry" is a driving force of environmental concerns.
C) The wealthy elite are able to better protect themselves from environmental problems.
D) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

The risk society theory suggests that risks, particularly environmental ones, are distributed equally across society. However, the arguments presented indicate that environmental risks are not equally distributed, contradicting the theory.

Question 9

How many people were killed by Mad Cow Disease versus car accidents?
A) About 200 vs. 34,000
B) About 20,000 vs. 25,000
C) About 2,000 vs. 30,000
D) About 20 vs. 30,000

Accepted Answer

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 200 people have died from Mad Cow Disease (also known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) worldwide. In comparison, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 34,247 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States alone in 2017, resulting in a total of 37,133 deaths. Therefore, option A is the correct choice.

Question 10

What, according to Kai Erikson, describes a "city of comrades"?
A) When community struggles to reunite post-disaster
B) When there is renewed social solidarity that results after a disaster has subsided
C) When the community itself feels betrayed
D) When community becomes soiled and ruined

Accepted Answer

Kai Erikson's concept of a "city of comrades" refers to the renewed social solidarity that can occur after a disaster, when people come together to support and help each other. It is a positive aspect of the aftermath of a disaster, rather than a description of a struggling or ruined community.

Question 11

How does chapter distinguishes between the terms risk and risky?
A) Risk means our sense of what we should act on; risky is what we can technologically, organizationally, and politically enact.
B) Risk means the material side of worries and fears; risky is the ideal side of our worries and desires.
C) Risk means our sense of what we should worry about, and how much; risky means the the material side of worries and desires.
D) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

The chapter distinguishes between risk and risky by defining risk as our sense of what we should worry about and how much, while defining risky as the material side of worries and desires. This aligns with option C, which correctly defines both terms without incorporating any additional, unrelated elements that the chapter does not discuss.

Question 12

What is dialogic rationality?
A) A less arrogant rationality that can be argued with, that respects the reasoning of others, and considers other ideas
B) Slack or buffer or give between two items
C) An equality of risk
D) "Self-confrontation" in which we collectively reflect on the meanings of modernity, science, and rationality

Accepted Answer

Dialogic rationality is characterized by being open to debate and considering other ideas. It values the reasoning of others and creates a less arrogant approach to rationality.

Question 13

What was the controversial element of the "Pusztai affair" in Britain?
A) Pusztai documented a deadly flood in West Virginia coal country.
B) Pusztai traced an alarming rate of "normal accidents" in nuclear plant functions.
C) Pusztai found that rats fed on GMO potatoes developed shrunken internal organs, had their immune system depressed, and grew more slowly.
D) Pusztai found that the death rates of Mad Cow disease were higher than previously expected.

Accepted Answer

The controversial element of the "Pusztai affair" in Britain was that Pusztai found that rats fed on GMO potatoes developed shrunken internal organs, had their immune system depressed, and grew more slowly. This raised concerns about the safety of genetically modified foods and led to a public debate about the regulation and labeling of such products.

Question 14

Because of its universalist and objectivist claim that it represents the perspective of the entire demos, via the sanctity of the methods of science, rationalism appears?
A) democratic.
B) risky.
C) incommensurable.
D) normal.

Accepted Answer

Rationalism, with its emphasis on universal truths and objective methods, aligns with democratic ideals by suggesting that it represents the perspective of all people (the demos) through reason and scientific methods.

Question 15

What theoretical framework does the problem of contextuality challenge?
A) Functionalism
B) Rational choice
C) Tautology
D) Dialogic rationality

Accepted Answer

Contextuality challenges the rational choice theory, which assumes that individuals make decisions based on stable preferences and available information, independent of context.

Question 16

The text offers which of the following as a key example of a "linear system," wherein components are spread out, easy to segregate, substitutable, and have little feedback between each other?
A) Nuclear power
B) Automobile transportation
C) Religiosity and miracles
D) The valuation of national parks

Accepted Answer

The text specifically states that automobile transportation is an example of a linear system, as its components (roads, cars, gas stations, etc.) are spread out, easy to segregate, substitutable, and have little feedback between each other.

Question 17

Components of a complex system are best characterized by which of the following attributes?
A) Close together
B) Hard to pull apart or substitute
C) Have a lot of feedback
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Components of a complex system are typically close together, making them difficult to pull apart or substitute, and have a lot of feedback loops which make them highly interconnected. Therefore, all of the above attributes are important in characterizing components of a complex system.

Question 18

The view of the Hima, a Ugandan pastoral people, concerning women and cattle is an example of:
A) how people tend to accept risks that reinforce social solidarity of their institutions.
B) how those in developing countries reject risks that those that do not aid in their forward progress.
C) how individuals make choices based on contextuality.
D) how certainty is socially constructed.

Accepted Answer

The Hima people accept risks that reinforce the social solidarity of their institutions, as their view of women and cattle is deeply embedded in their cultural and social practices.

Question 19

The idea that it is people that make up society just as much as larger social structures and patterns do is best summed up by which of the following terms?
A) Functionalism
B) Rational choice
C) Tautology
D) Dialogic rationality

Accepted Answer

The answer of The idea that it is people that...

Question 20

Which of the following is a problem with using contingent valuation to determine risk?
A) It assumes that people can put prices on everything.
B) It follows the full consequences of a risk through an economy.
C) It understands how much risk of externalized.
D) It accepts higher risk levels than "normal."

Accepted Answer

Contingent valuation assumes that people can put a monetary value on intangible risks such as health or environmental hazards, which is not always possible or accurate.

Quiz 10: The Rationality of Risk

The rationalization of risk has not been complete. In fact, according to the 2013 Harris Poll, ______% of American adults believe that God can perform miracles?

Which system is tightly "coupled"?

Ulrich Beck argues that the driving force behind the risk society can be characterized by which of the following statements?

Horizontal knowledge gaps are:

The chapter concludes by saying that in order to construct a dialogic rationality of risk, we need to cultivate:

Kai Erikson calls human induced disasters a "new species of trouble" because they have which of the following features:

According to the textbook, what do we need more of in order to renew faith in science?

Which of the following arguments contradicts the risk society theory?

How many people were killed by Mad Cow Disease versus car accidents?

What, according to Kai Erikson, describes a "city of comrades"?

How does chapter distinguishes between the terms risk and risky?

What is dialogic rationality?

What was the controversial element of the "Pusztai affair" in Britain?

Because of its universalist and objectivist claim that it represents the perspective of the entire demos, via the sanctity of the methods of science, rationalism appears?

What theoretical framework does the problem of contextuality challenge?

The text offers which of the following as a key example of a "linear system," wherein components are spread out, easy to segregate, substitutable, and have little feedback between each other?

Components of a complex system are best characterized by which of the following attributes?

The view of the Hima, a Ugandan pastoral people, concerning women and cattle is an example of:

The idea that it is people that make up society just as much as larger social structures and patterns do is best summed up by which of the following terms?

Which of the following is a problem with using contingent valuation to determine risk?