'He claims,' said Jenny tactfully, 'That he flew through a radioactive cloud thirty years ago and that it didn't do him any harm - thus it's all right to mine uranium. A fine piece of Australian political reasoning.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker mocks flawed political logic that uses one instance of safety to justify a risky industry.
- In plain terms
- It is bad reasoning to say mining is safe because one person survived exposure.
- What can you take from it?
- One example does not prove a practice is safe.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When does anecdote become evidence?
- How do we argue about risk?
Another view
Individual experiences sometimes inform policy despite statistical risks.
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