Talks to Watch

How Much Is a Human Worth? (according to engineers)

647K views · Oct 17, 2023 · 14:35 · 1 HN recommender · 3 mentions · discussed 2023–2025

Practical Engineering explains how engineers and agencies put a dollar value on a human life to weigh cost against safety. It covers the legal and regulatory basis for these calculations.

Why Hacker News points people here: HN commenters cite it as an interesting look at valuing human life, used in safety and liability discussions.

“There's a video I found interesting on a YT channel called practical engineering.”HN comment, 2023

What Hacker News said 3

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“There's a video I found interesting on a YT channel called practical engineering.”

Interesting look at valuing human life.

Full comment

Seem to me like the prosecution is irrationally scared of something they don't understand. When personal data is leaked, no one gives a shit. I got downvoted to smithereens for commenting on HN that I thought the post about Steve Wozniac being in the hospital was perverted. But if you leak something from a business, then life in prison? People value their life at about $10m. There's a video I found interesting on a YT channel called practical engineering. this video .

in “Lapsus$: GTA 6 hacker handed indefinite hospital order” · view on HN
Cites itwtfwhatevenOct 2023

Agencies weigh safety benefits against costs.

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"the safety benefits are not worth the costs" is a determination government agencies already make with many things[1]. [1]: this video

in “Personal aviation is about to get interesting” · view on HN
Cites itfuoqiAug 2025

“Not only we can, but it also done routinely.”

Shows prices are routinely placed on human life.

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>I don't think you can apply a price to a human life Not only we can, but it also done routinely. For example, see this Practical Engineering video: this video

in “Tesla must pay portion of $329M damages after fatal Autopilot crash, jury says” · view on HN