Telos and Techne

Authors

Paul Knox, Virginia TechFollow

Abstract

It seems reasonable to assert that the planning profession should be understood as serving society by providing vision, anticipation, innovation, and inspiration in the cause of human flourishing; that its telos is to create functional, efficient, and sustainable physical environments and to contribute to the material realization of societal aspirations of what it means to live well. But it is the techne—the appli¬cation of the field’s context-dependent armory of tactics, practices, concepts, approaches, and methods—that counts most in determining success in the cause of human flourishing. This article comments on the tensions between telos and techne in planning.

First Page

188

Last Page

199

Recommended Citation

Knox, Paul (2022) "Telos and Techne," Journal of Comparative Urban Law and Policy: Vol. 5 : Iss. 1 , Article 18, 188-199.
Available at: https://readingroom.law.gsu.edu/jculp/vol5/iss1/18