Toward a Cognitive Approach to Urban Dynamics

‘A cognitive approach to urban dynamics’ is proposed in this paper as a theorization of the dynamics of cities from the first principles of humans' cognitive capabilities. The aim is to initiate a discussion concerning the potential of such an approach. This is done by examining some of the cognitive processes that are relevant to cities and their dynamics, by considering some conceptual and methodological obstacles for such a project, and by suggesting SIRN (Synergetic Inter-Representation Networks) as an approach that can overcome these obstacles. I then discuss and exemplify the implications to urban simulation models and conclude by suggesting further research directions.