The accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant is analyzed from the perspective of rationality theory. Contrary to the popular view that operator errors are inexplicable, the concept of practical rationality reveals the subjective meaning of the operators’ actions. It is argued that rat-tonality is a valuable notion for the practical management of emergencies and man-made disasters, and that rationality is an essential element in the development of a sociology of disasters.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbelsonR.P.1976. “Social psychology's rational man.” Pp. 58–89 in BennS.I., and MortimoreG.W. (eds.), Rationality and the social sciences.London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
2.
AndersonP.1983. “Decision making by objection and the Cuban missile crisis.” Administrative science quarterly28: 201–222.
3.
AstleyW.G., and Van de VenA.H.1976. “Central perspectives and debates in organization theory.” Administrative science quarterly28: 245–273.
4.
BennS.I., and MortimoreG.W. (eds.) 1976Rationality and the social sciences.London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
5.
BurrellG., and MorganG.1979Sociological paradigms and organizational analysis.London: Heinemann Educational Books.
6.
CarleyM.1980Rational Techniques in policy analysis.London: Heinemann Educational Books.
7.
CarrollJ.D.1979. “Noetic Authority.” Public administration review (Sept./Oct.): 492–500.
8.
Critical Mass Journal1979Three Mile Island: Is it the downfall of nuclear power? Vol. 5, No. 12.
9.
DahlR.A., and LindblomC.E.1953Politics, economics and welfare. New York. Quoted on page 361 in BennS.I., and MortimoreG.W. (eds.) (1976), Rationality and the social sciences.London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
10.
GarrisonJ.1980. “From Hiroshima to Harrisburg: The unholy alliance.London: SCM Press.
11.
GlaserB., and StraussA.1967The discovery of grounded theory.Chicago, Ill.: Aldine.
12.
HarrisonF.L.1977. “Decision making in conditions of uncertainty”. Journal of management studies 14: No.2, May.
13.
HempelC.G.1961Rational Action. Proceedings and Addresses of American Philosophical Association, part 35: 5–23.
14.
KemenyJ.G. (Chairman) 1979a Report of the President's Commission on the accident at Three Mile Island.New York, N.Y.: Pergamon.
15.
KemenyJ.G. (Chairman) 1979b. “The selection, training, qualification and licensing of Three Mile Island reactor operating personnel.” Pp. 4ff. in Presidential Commission on the accident at Three Mlle Island technical staff analysis report.Washington, D.C.: Government Printing House.
16.
LevinP.H.1972. “On decisions and decision making”. Public administration50 (spring): 19–43.
17.
LindblomC.E.1959. “The science of muddling through.” Public administration review19(spring): 81–86.
18.
LongN.E.1954. “Public policy and administration: The goals of rationality and responsibility.” Public administration review14: 22–31.
19.
LukesS.1977. “Some problems about rationality.” In WilsonB.R. (ed.), Rationality.Oxford: Blackwell.
20.
MaloneT.B.1980. “Human factors evaluation of control room design and operator performance at Three Mile Island-2: Pinal report.” In U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NUREG/CR 1270, Vol. 1. Washington, D.C.: Essex Corporation.
21.
MortimoreG.W.1976. “Rational action.” Pp. 93–110 in BennS.I., and MortimoreG.W. (eds.), Rationality and the social science.London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
22.
NicolaidesN.1960Policy decision and organizational theory. Ph.D. thesis at University of California.
23.
OakeshottM.1962Rationalism in politics.London: Methuen.
24.
Open University1972The administrative process as incrementalism. D331, Block 11/3 Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
PfiffnerJ.M., 1960 “Administrative rationality.” Public administration review.
27.
RamosA.G.1972. “Models of man and administrative theory.” Public administration review32(May-June): 241–246.
28.
RasmussenN. (Chairman) 1974. “An assessment of accident risks in U.S. commercial nuclear power plants.” United States atomic energy commission, reactor safety study Wash 1400.Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
29.
Shrader-FrechettiK.S.1980Nuclear power and public policy: The social and ethical problems of fission technology.London: D. Reldel Publishing Co.
30.
SilvermanD.1976The theory of organizations.London: Heinemann.
31.
SimonH.A.1976Administrative behaviour: A study of decision making processes in administrative organizations.London: Macmillan Free Press.
TurnerB.A.1983. “The use of grounded theory for qualitative analysis of organizational behavior.” Journal of management studies20(3).
34.
WeickK.1979The social psychology of organizations.Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.
35.
WengerD.E., FaupelC.E., and JamesT.F.1980Disaster beliefs and emergency planning; Final report to National Science Foundation.Newark, Delaware: Department of science, University of Delaware.
ZimmermanD.H., and DouglasJ.D. (ed.) 1974. “The practicalities of rule use.” Pp. 221–238 in Understanding Everyday Life; Towards the reconstruction of sociological knowledge.London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
