Law of unintended consequences

Stretch goals often illustrate the Law of Unintended Consequences attempting to achieve increased production leads to a major failure such that the losses are greater than the hoped-for benefits—many times over. 

The purpose of the tank is to dampen out swings in flow rates. If Unit A is producing more chemical than Unit B needs for a short period of time, then the level in the tank is allowed to rise, and vice versa. Eliminating the tank may appear to make the system safer. However, operations could become more difficult and safety in other areas could be compromised. This is an example of the law of unintended consequences (discussed below). 

The law of unintended consequences is a term that is used, often ironically, to describe the above concept. The basic idea is that human intervention in complex systems may create a range of unexpected outcomes, most of which are assumed to be undesirable, and which could readily lead to losses which negate the benefits many times over. (The rabbit was introduced into Australia for food, but eventually became a highly destructive pest and has caused extensive habitat destruction.)... 

Similar arsenate-cleaning proteins are found in plants and animals, especially those chronically exposed to arsenic. In some cases, the periodic table can explain mysterious chemical effects. For example, Leishmania parasites are susceptible to treatments with the element antimony ( 51 Sb on the table). But in certain areas of India, such treatments don t work. Some scientists think they know why, with some experiments in mice to back them up antimony is right below arsenic on the periodic table and the two are therefore chemically similar. In those areas of India, arsenic frequently contaminates drinking water, and the people who live there have upgraded their internal arsenate-cleaning processes. Because antimony is so chemically similar to arsenic, the two are swept up by the same processes, throwing out the antimony that would otherwise destroy Leishmania. The law of unintended consequences extends to chemistry and can be understood with a glance at the periodic table s colunms. 

The law of unintended consequences is a lucid analysis of why formally organised action sometimes fails to achieve its objectives. The original paper is in Merton, R.K. (1938), The unanticipated consequences of purposive social action, American Sociological Review, 1(6), 894-904). Despite having been written 75 years ago, the analysis is unfortimately still valid. 

The well-known butterfly effect seems to typify much of today s supply chain turbulence. The idea is that a butterfly, flapping its wings somewhere over the Amazon basin, can cause a hurricane thousands of miles awayl Whilst this example of what is sometimes described as chaotic effects may be a little far-fetched, it provides a useful reminder of how the law of unintended consequences applies to today s highly interconnected supply chains. 

After that, the surprises take over. The last, most realistic, assumption may be that the law of unintended consequences will ultimately apply. (Whitesides, 2004) [6] ... 

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). Unintended Consequences Drug Czar Admits Federal Anti-Drug Ads Having Opposite Effect on Teens, 2002. http //www.norml.org. 

Many of the discussions in chapter 1 apply immediately to Marx s economic theory, such as the analysis of rational-choice theory (t. 2. t) and the comments on the methodology of unintended consequences (1.3.2). Some additional problems also arise, however, that are more specifically related to his economic writings. In 3.1.1 1 first consider the appropriateness of talking about Marx s economic "models", in the modern sense of that term. Under this heading I also discuss Marx s use of "tendency laws" to explain economic relations. In 3.1.2 I comment on Marx s attempt to apply the Hegelian distinction between essence and appearance to economic life, notably to the relation between values and prices. I argue that while this particular application fails, others hold out more promise. This discussion is closely related to the analysis of fetishism (2.3.2) and of ideology (notably 8.2.3). 

A common humorous expression that implies that any purposeful action wUl produce some unintended, unanticipated, and usually unwanted consequences. Stated in other words, each cause has more than one effect, and these effects will invariably include at least one unforeseen side effect. The unintended side effect can be more significant than the intended effect. Like Murphy s Law, it is a humorous expression rather than an actual law of nature. May also be called Law of Unforeseen Consequences. See also Murphy s Law. 

C. Finkelstein (2005) Responsibility for Unintended Consequences, Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, 2 579. 

Note the words according to their capabilities and cost-effective —there is neither any indication that measures should be taken that a particular state simply cannot effect, nor that there should be no consideration of the costs of the measures. The EU has enshrined the principle in law, but it is not without its critics and has had unintended consequences in some areas. The US Environmental Protection Agency, established in 1970, is responsible for much useful environmental law. In 1988, it eased the restrictions imposed by the Delaney Clause (1958) that forbade the use as a food additive of any substance that had been shown to cause cancer in man or experimental animals, where the risks were very slight. 

---