Avoiden
Avoiden is a conceptual term used to describe a deliberate avoidance strategy in decision theory and risk management. It denotes the exclusion of certain options, environments, or exposures as the primary means to reduce potential harm. Unlike mitigation or resilience-building, which operate within a system, avoiden emphasizes preemptive exclusion of high-risk paths. The term appears in theoretical discussions and in applied contexts to distinguish avoidance-based strategies from optimization under uncertainty.
Origins and scope: The term is used chiefly in modern risk discourse and is sometimes described as
Characteristics: Avoiden relies on criteria such as the magnitude of downside risk, probability of occurrence, and
Applications: In environmental planning, avoiden may guide land-use to steer development away from flood-prone or seismic
Criticisms and considerations: Critics argue that avoidance can create conservatism, reduce innovation, and impose higher costs