{"id":"https://openalex.org/W2920970912","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1086/698135","title":"The Systems Fallacy: A Genealogy and Critique of Public Policy and Cost-Benefit Analysis","display_name":"The Systems Fallacy: A Genealogy and Critique of Public Policy and Cost-Benefit Analysis","publication_year":2018,"publication_date":"2018-06-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W2920970912","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1086/698135","mag":"2920970912"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1086/698135","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1086/698135","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1086/698135","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S9231424","display_name":"The Journal of Legal Studies","issn_l":"0047-2530","issn":["0047-2530","1537-5366"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["anvur-scientific","cwts-core","jufo-2","norway-2","poland-140","russia-white-list-1"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310315672","host_organization_name":"University of Chicago Press","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310315672","https://openalex.org/P4310315690"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["University of Chicago Press","University of Chicago"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"The Journal of Legal Studies","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/2632","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5085323092","display_name":"Bernard E. Harcourt","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2211-4159","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2211-4159"]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Bernard E. Harcourt","raw_affiliation_strings":[""],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"","institution_ids":[]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5085323092"],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.4451,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":15,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.68887786,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":87,"max":97},"biblio":{"volume":"47","issue":"2","first_page":"419","last_page":"447"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10213","display_name":"Public Policy and Administration Research","score":0.6791999936103821,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3321","display_name":"Public Administration"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10213","display_name":"Public Policy and Administration Research","score":0.6791999936103821,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3321","display_name":"Public Administration"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13138","display_name":"Legal and Constitutional Studies","score":0.13680000603199005,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2002","display_name":"Economics and Econometrics"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/20","display_name":"Economics, Econometrics and Finance"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11810","display_name":"Complex Systems and Decision Making","score":0.03449999913573265,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1803","display_name":"Management Science and Operations Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/18","display_name":"Decision Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cost-benefit-analysis","display_name":"cost-benefit analysis","score":0.9700000286102295},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/policy-analysis","display_name":"policy analysis","score":0.9909999966621399},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/normativity","display_name":"normativity","score":0.5149999856948853},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/value-neutrality","display_name":"value neutrality","score":0.6150000095367432},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/political-values","display_name":"political values","score":0.5419999957084656},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/systems-analysis","display_name":"systems analysis","score":0.6029999852180481},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/decision-making","display_name":"decision-making","score":0.4480000138282776},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/policy-implementation","display_name":"policy implementation","score":0.3499999940395355}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2781035248","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q186150","display_name":"Fallacy","level":2,"score":0.8929210901260376},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C44725695","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q288156","display_name":"Normative","level":2,"score":0.7107632160186768},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C143273055","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2382794","display_name":"Delegate","level":2,"score":0.6734974980354309},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C94625758","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7163","display_name":"Politics","level":2,"score":0.6510121822357178},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C109986646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q546113","display_name":"Public policy","level":2,"score":0.549319326877594},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C118084267","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q26110","display_name":"Positive economics","level":1,"score":0.547183632850647},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776291640","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2912517","display_name":"Value (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.538030207157135},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778012447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1034415","display_name":"Scope (computer science)","level":2,"score":0.5332550406455994},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C190253527","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q295354","display_name":"Law and economics","level":1,"score":0.4689217209815979},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17744445","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36442","display_name":"Political science","level":0,"score":0.4091149866580963},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111472728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471","display_name":"Epistemology","level":1,"score":0.3979007303714752},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162324750","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8134","display_name":"Economics","level":0,"score":0.3938036262989044},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.3523998260498047},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199539241","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7748","display_name":"Law","level":1,"score":0.26967260241508484},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138885662","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891","display_name":"Philosophy","level":0,"score":0.12727269530296326},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.12560570240020752},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199360897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143","display_name":"Programming language","level":1,"score":0.0}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":3,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1086/698135","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1086/698135","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1086/698135","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S9231424","display_name":"The Journal of Legal Studies","issn_l":"0047-2530","issn":["0047-2530","1537-5366"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["anvur-scientific","cwts-core","jufo-2","norway-2","poland-140","russia-white-list-1"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310315672","host_organization_name":"University of Chicago Press","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310315672","https://openalex.org/P4310315690"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["University of Chicago Press","University of Chicago"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"The Journal of Legal Studies","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:chicagounbound.uchicago.edu:jls-2141","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/jls/vol47/iss2/7","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S7407064349","display_name":"bepress Legal Repository","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"Journal of Legal Studies","raw_type":"text"},{"id":"pmh:oai:scholarship.law.columbia.edu:faculty_scholarship-3636","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/2632","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S7407064349","display_name":"bepress Legal Repository","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"Faculty Scholarship","raw_type":"text"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:oai:scholarship.law.columbia.edu:faculty_scholarship-3636","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/2632","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S7407064349","display_name":"bepress Legal Repository","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-nc","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"Faculty Scholarship","raw_type":"text"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":34,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W20842705","https://openalex.org/W68855487","https://openalex.org/W116826667","https://openalex.org/W435283131","https://openalex.org/W568696934","https://openalex.org/W608104379","https://openalex.org/W1494420392","https://openalex.org/W1542356730","https://openalex.org/W1543650535","https://openalex.org/W1666128936","https://openalex.org/W1919878871","https://openalex.org/W1964149077","https://openalex.org/W1984101676","https://openalex.org/W1988757664","https://openalex.org/W2006630925","https://openalex.org/W2039862411","https://openalex.org/W2063450219","https://openalex.org/W2112348462","https://openalex.org/W2127962721","https://openalex.org/W2161353057","https://openalex.org/W2171763263","https://openalex.org/W2242900147","https://openalex.org/W2313563931","https://openalex.org/W2606860353","https://openalex.org/W2796578603","https://openalex.org/W2982314133","https://openalex.org/W2993826291","https://openalex.org/W3046509492","https://openalex.org/W3123814984","https://openalex.org/W3123858017","https://openalex.org/W3125530216","https://openalex.org/W4238981795","https://openalex.org/W4245907523","https://openalex.org/W4394799459"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W2769828189","https://openalex.org/W2955810996","https://openalex.org/W1991226641","https://openalex.org/W212753247","https://openalex.org/W3216306954","https://openalex.org/W1953226052","https://openalex.org/W4400469875","https://openalex.org/W1831532055","https://openalex.org/W2080019671","https://openalex.org/W4318215199"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"This":[0],"essay":[1],"identifies":[2],"the":[3,6,36,65,76,118,121,147],"systems":[4,33,148],"fallacy:":[5],"mistaken":[7,37,63],"belief":[8,38],"that":[9,39,54,84],"systems-analytic":[10],"decision-making":[11],"techniques,":[12],"such":[13],"as":[14],"cost-benefit":[15,136],"or":[16,45],"public":[17,52],"policy":[18,53,99,133,139],"analysis,":[19],"are":[20,85,126],"neutral":[21,101],"and":[22,50,70,75,88,102,131,138],"objective,":[23],"when":[24],"in":[25,90],"fact":[26],"they":[27],"normatively":[28],"shape":[29],"political":[30,58,89],"outcomes.":[31],"The":[32,92,123],"fallacy":[34],"is":[35,62,113],"there":[40,112],"could":[41],"be":[42],"a":[43,72],"nonnormative":[44],"scientific":[46,107],"way":[47,115],"to":[48,97,116,128,135,146],"analyze":[49],"implement":[51],"would":[55],"not":[56],"affect":[57],"values.":[59],"That":[60],"pretense":[61],"because":[64],"very":[66],"act":[67],"of":[68,94,106],"conceptualizing":[69],"defining":[71],"metaphorical":[73],"system,":[74],"accompanying":[77],"choice-of-scope":[78],"decisions,":[79],"constitute":[80],"inherently":[81],"normative":[82],"decisions":[83],"value":[86],"laden":[87],"nature.":[91],"ambition":[93],"decision":[95],"theorists":[96],"render":[98],"implementation":[100],"objective":[103],"by":[104],"means":[105],"methods":[108],"was":[109],"laudable,":[110],"but":[111],"no":[114],"extract":[117],"politics":[119],"from":[120],"method.":[122],"minute":[124],"we":[125,141],"inattentive":[127],"this":[129],"insight":[130],"delegate":[132],"making":[134],"experts":[137],"professionals,":[140],"move":[142],"one":[143],"step":[144],"closer":[145],"fallacy.":[149]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2024,"cited_by_count":4},{"year":2023,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2022,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2021,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2026-11-07T11:25:07.637180","created_date":"2019-03-22T00:00:00"}
