Patient preferences have a social welfare interpretation consonant with a belief that the society affected by present decisions will last for a very long time. In stochastic settings, these preferences lead to justifications for variants of the precautionary principle.

Abstract. In many economic, political and social situations, circumstances change at random points in time, reacting is costly, and reactions appropri- ate to present circumstances may become inappropriate upon future changes, requiring further costly reaction. Waiting is informative if arrival...