epiphenomenon

Noun

epiphenomenon (plural epiphenomena or (nonstandard) epiphenomenons)

1. An activity, process, or state that is the result of another; a by-product, a consequence.
   • Yet I would suggest that philosophical and even medical curiosity are only epiphenomenons of another condition that brought deafness to cultural attention.1997, Lennard J. Davis, “Universalizing Marginality: How Europe Became Deaf in the Eighteenth Century”, in Lennard J. Davis, editor, The Disability Studies Reader, New York, N.Y.; London: Routledge...
   • [R]esource conservation is an epiphenomenon of warfare: a no-man's land between two warring tribes becomes a wildlife refuge because hunters do not visit the area for fear of becoming casualties in the war.1999, Eugene S. Hunn, “Mobility as a Factor Limiting Resource Use on the Columbia Plateau”, in Dale D. Goble, Paul W. Hirt, editors, Northwest Lands, Northwest Peoples: Readings in Environmental...

   Synonyms:

   by-product, unintended consequence, side effect

2. A mental process or state that is an incidental by-product of physiological events in the brain or nervous system.
   • It is a necessary corollary of the view here advanced that in instinct as such consciousness is a mere epiphenomenon—a by-product, with no bearing whatever on the performance of the activity in so far as it is instinctive.1894, C[onwy] Lloyd Morgan, “Instinct and Intelligence”, in Havelock Ellis, editor, An Introduction to Comparative Psychology (The Contemporary Science Series), London: Walter Scott, […], →OCLC, page...
   • According to this hypothesis, mind is a ‘collateral product’ of the physical, an ‘epiphænomenon’ accompanying, but never causally affecting, the physical series of phænomena.1900 April, “Art. VIII.—Ward’s ‘Naturalism and Agnosticism.’ Naturalism and Agnosticism. The Gifford Lectures Delivered before the University of Aberdeen in the Years 1896–1989. By James Ward, […]. 2...
3. A symptom that develops during the course of a disease that is not connected to the disease.
   • EPIPHÆNOMENA, […] Signs in Diſeaſes which appear afterwards.[1721, N[athan] Bailey, “EPIPHÆNOMENA”, in An Universal Etymological English Dictionary: […], London: […] E. Bell, J. Darby, […], →OCLC, column 2
   • The appetite commonly remains little impaired, but it is conjoined with the fear of taking food. The tongue is generally clean, and the taste natural; a contrary state the author considers and denominates an epiphenomenon.1820 February, “Art. V. Monographie des Dégénérations scirrheuses de l’Estomac. Par Frédéric Chardel, D.M. &c. A Paris, 1808. pp. 213. [book review]”, in [John Anderson], editor, The Quarterly...