ABSTRACT
This chapter shows how to interpret goal given the consequences of non-linearity through a focus on path dependence. Martin and Sunley highlight many problems with the current definition of path dependence, and make it clear that much more work is needed to understand the concept properly. Martin and Sunley have demonstrated a method for constructing and visualising the multi-dimensional possibility cone of development for an urban system. They can begin by thinking of the many possibilities as a tree. The root of the tree is the initial endogenous DNA representing the current state of the system of interest. The exogenous DNA constant and rely on stochastic variation to differentiate each model run. Martin and Sunley use an aggregate urban retail model as a demonstrator by introducing stochastic variation of the initial conditions, and by tackling a hypothetical planning application.
