I agree with the position that it depends, code may be a building, or a city or any number of things.
I disagree with the OP that deciding to recode can simply be compared to tearing down and making a new building for no reason. That's oversimplification.
First, there are times when buildings must be demolished and built from scratch. The OP makes this idea seem ridiculous but it happens everyday when buildings are in fact demolished and rightly so. Second, fewer buildings are demolished and built from scratch relative to programming projects demolished and built from scratch due to the inherent differences between a coding project and a building project. For one, the former is more regulated and carries more physical risk than the latter(a coding project).
I disagree with the OP that deciding to recode can simply be compared to tearing down and making a new building for no reason. That's oversimplification.
First, there are times when buildings must be demolished and built from scratch. The OP makes this idea seem ridiculous but it happens everyday when buildings are in fact demolished and rightly so. Second, fewer buildings are demolished and built from scratch relative to programming projects demolished and built from scratch due to the inherent differences between a coding project and a building project. For one, the former is more regulated and carries more physical risk than the latter(a coding project).