Is urban planning a discipline of science?

It is clear that urban planning is NOT a discipline of science by use of the scientific method. The assumptions made by urban planners can not be scientifically tested.

Even not being able to, one should still ask oneself if urban planning should follow the scientific method anyhow? The use of the scientific method, uses a reductionist approach to knowledge. This reductionist approach is one in which the whole is broken up into little parts; it is the belief that isolating and dissecting bits of nature will allow one to understand the whole. This context, in which the scientific method is used, implies that nature can be disassembled and reassembled under man’s control. This approach denies the innate relatedness of systems; it avoids the truth that the whole possesses more than the sum of its parts.

Reductionism has led to spectacular discoveries and advances in scientific knowledge. However, this approach is not effective for all types of problems, especially not for problems that are not specialized.

Cities are holistic systems and a study approach requires more than just the current reductionist approach of the scientific method. This would allow scientists to see each level in the development of a mechanism.

But we know we aren’t going to get anywhere as an urban planner if we are not reductionist. We’ve got to chop it into little pieces and look at it so we’ll understand the whole system. We are a part of the system which we try to understand and to influence, urban planning, as well as science, does not work logically and impersonally, we all bring our expectations, interests and personal beliefs into our work. Maybe one day we will manage to cope with this interrelated amount of information. Urban planning is a challenging discipline.

Pedro Aibéo

2009