An Explanation of Ethical Contexts of Planning within the Framework of Post-Positivism Theory; A Case Study: Five-Year Development Plans

New findings of philosophy of science question and challenge positive concepts regarding the inclusion of conditions of knowledge, neutrality of observation and data’s independence from theoretical interpretations as well as the distinction between natural and social sciences in a serious manner. In contrast to positive approach, data, theories, and different disciplines, like ethics have expanded as a part of social and historical contexts. This outstanding effect has developed with the help of different approaches, including contributive postmodernist and neo-pragmatic approaches. The mentioned developments in the field of thought, directed social sciences and planning towards post-positivist situation and highlighted the ethical contexts of planning; this effect is traceable in the application context of planning. The purpose of this paper is to express the features of planning theory within the framework of post-positivism, and, also to explain the contexts of involvement of ethics in the field of planning, in its broad sense, as well as the way it affects the planning process. The result of this paper is presentation of the process of new work in the planning process based on attention to new ethical contexts that distinguishes this process from the previous ones, which were regarded as value-free. Also, for practical evaluation of this paper’s hypothesis, the dominant approach of the Five-Year Development Plans of the country has been carefully studied as one of the mid-term planning documents. The findings of the research indicate that value-freeness of these plans is traceable and it sheds light on the necessity of revision of these plans from this perspective.