On danger

The notion of danger is ubiquitous in our everyday practical judgments. Yet discussions of danger and its normative role in guiding our actions are rare in contemporary philosophy. This could be partially explained by the frequent conflation of danger with risk. This paper aims to address this gap by clarifying what danger is and how it differs from risk. Drawing on various conceptual, linguistic, and formal considerations, I argue against standard risk‐based accounts of danger and in favor of a modified version of Timothy Williamson's modal account. The upshot is a partial model of danger, along with a list of features that distinguish danger from risk. I also explore the normative dimension of danger and how it differs from that of risk. I conclude by providing a partial justification for accepting norms of danger alongside norms to avoid risk.