other paradigms

Urban Metabolism has been used by other Authors to assist in the conceptualization of a topic using the metabolic framework as a metaphor. Gandy for instance took a non-functionalist approach to this in his work.

I was thinking earlier today that other such metaphors can be substantial aids to other concepts,for example;

if we regard a city as a complex multi cellular organism, then a possible view of this is that particular roles within the city can be compared to metabolic pathways or even organs.

More complex organisms take advantage of cognition to advance their possibility for success in life. The less complex animals regularly differentiate food from toxins, remember where food and water is and as complexity evolves develop methods specific to hunting particular prey or remembering where food is.

This can be applied to the human situation and to the city.

Clearly the city needs to optimize itself and to adapt to changes, both environmental and those which result from the reorganization or growth of its population.

But does the city always make ideal choices?

Town planning for instance relies on many complex determinations and regulations. These are no different to the rules which govern any chemical reaction. However more than regulation is required as the rules in managing a complex environment outstrip the ability of codification.

I would argue that this is why complex organisms developed cognition.

The city has at its disposal cognitive ability in that the components of the city are actually humans. To be effective this cognition requires memory, and this is something which at the moment is present only in people.

This means that effective use of cognition in the city requires that many of the people who make decisions and determine policy need to have not only knowledge but memory: meaning they have had to work in that role for some decades.

An excellent example of this comes to mind in the damage occurring in Queensland due to flooding at the moment. Much of this damage is occurring due to changes in zoning of areas from flood prone to not flood prone. While in the previous 15 years flooding did not occur, in the previous 30 it did. Those with experience would know that.