Re: Re[2]: www fallout (radiation, AIDS etc)

[William Prestwich <prestwic@mcmail.cis.McMaster.CA>]

In response to the public conception of the word safe I urge caution. The
absolute mentioned is a two edged sword. It is my experience that the
interpretation of any statement that an activity is not established to be
safe is that such an activity is dangerous. I am referring to human
activity in general here. Thus the oft-quoted statement that there is no
safe level of radiation is interpreted as any level of radiation is
dangerous. Whatever the dictionary definition, the equating as safe with
zero risk is unsustainable from a societal viewpoint because taken to its
logical conclusion leads to irrational conclusions. If any level of
radiation is unsafe, ie harmful on the basis of the dictionary, then we
can all sue each other for the damage resulting from our mutual
irradiation resulting primarily from the 1.4 MeV gamma ray from naturally
occuring 40K. There are plenty other absurd scenarios such as this which
follow from strict adherence to such a definition.
Bill Prestwich
E-mail: prestwic@mcmaster

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