precautionary principle
collocation in Englishmeaningsofprecautionaryandprinciple
These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withprinciple.
precautionary
adjective
uk/prɪˈkɔː.ʃən.ər.i/us/prɪˈkɑː.ʃən.er.i/
intended to prevent something unpleasant or dangerous ...
See more atprecautionary
principle
noun
uk/ˈprɪn.sə.pəl/us/ˈprɪn.sə.pəl/
a basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something happens ...
See more atprinciple
(Definition ofprecautionaryandprinciplefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)
Examplesofprecautionary principle
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Some call for outright bans, citing the "precautionaryprinciple" on the development of technologies that have the potential to significantly change human nature.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It also extended theprecautionaryprincipleto consumer protection.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Proponents of the ban, however, justified a complete ban on the basis of theprecautionaryprinciplethat it is better to be safe than sorry.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Thus, their objections might in the end be quite useful for proponents of theprecautionaryprinciple.
From theCambridge English Corpus
However, the elements (1)-(4) and the overall structure is common to most existing prescriptive versions of theprecautionaryprinciple.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The problem with their argument is that they took theprecautionaryprincipleout of context.
From theCambridge English Corpus
However, this is not what existing versions of theprecautionaryprinciplerequire us to do.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The above holds also for theprecautionaryprinciple.
From theCambridge English Corpus
First, the phrase theprecautionaryprinciplemay refer to one or another principle of national or international law.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theprecautionaryprincipleis frequently referred to in various momentous decisions affecting human health and the environment.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Consequently, theprecautionaryprincipleneeds to be specified as to how often the measures should be reviewed.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The possibility of damage due to increasing the possibility of bad government policies may turn theprecautionaryprincipleon its head.
From theCambridge English Corpus
For others, uncertainty is used to justify drastic action now, usually with reference to vague criteria such as the 'precautionaryprinciple'.
From theCambridge English Corpus
This is the so-called "precautionaryprinciple" in widespread use in this field.
From theCambridge English Corpus
That might be true, but interpretations of theprecautionaryprincipleare in fact emerging, albeit slowly.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The argument is not relevant to existing versions of theprecautionaryprinciple.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The argument from absolutism obviously bites if theprecautionaryprincipleis thought of as prescribing measures that are precautionary with respect to everything.
From theCambridge English Corpus
In the fourth section, the importance of their critique for proponents of theprecautionaryprincipleis acknowledged and commented on.
From theCambridge English Corpus
They are right in their claim that this would be irrational, but wrong in that theprecautionaryprinciplerequires us to do so.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The difference in the case of theprecautionaryprincipleis to be found in the prescription dimension.
From theCambridge English Corpus
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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