Will Sayer's ‘Prescription’ for an Adequate Planning Theory Improve Planning Potency? A Comment

This paper proposes that the crux of “the impotence of planning” problem, which Sayer has addressed in his recent paper “Understanding urban models versus understanding cities”, lies not in theory (as Sayer suggests), but in philosophy. It urges all those interested in the development of planning theory and practice, in whatever sphere, to move right outside the nineteenth century, positivistic research tradition, which has hitherto dominated their intellectual efforts, and draw support for their attempts to advance planning on both the theoretical and practical fronts from an intellectual milieu which is more characteristic of our own times, namely, that of existentialism.