Abstract
The point of this chapter is to engage in what is often called a “gedankenexperiment” or thought experiment (Irvine, Thought experiments in science and philosophy, 1991, pp. 149–165). The goal of this exercise is to provide a mental image of an activity to be undertaken, in this case the planning and implementation of a social intervention. Since these plans are imaginary or hypothetical, many options can be entertained; a wide variety of variations are possible. In a way, this mental game represents a simulation, but without the technological apparatus. But this exercise should not provide recipes for planning. In fact, following the format supplied by a cookbook would violate the basic philosophy of community-based planning. Planning is not disorganized but also should not follow a strict regimen. Adhering to an a priori schedule would likely reify the planning process and hardly help a community. For this reason, the term “conceptual flow” is used to perform this task. A community-based project, in other words, has certain components that are often connected in a particular manner. Nonetheless, these connections do not necessarily form a fixed system. Such a portrayal would be too narrow and confining. A flow is a better descriptive, since this image suggests the presence of contingencies and various alternatives.
