Progress is possible only if we train ourselves to think about programs without thinking of them as pieces of executable code.
Edsger DijkstraRead
Mathematicians are like managers - they want improvement without change.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that both mathematicians and managers often strive for progress while resisting the changes necessary to achieve it.
Edsger Dijkstra's quote highlights a paradox present in both mathematics and management, where the desire for improvement often conflicts with the need for change. It reflects a common human tendency to seek better outcomes without wanting to alter the familiar structures or methods that may be causing inefficiencies, emphasizing the challenge of embracing change in pursuit of progress.
Themes
ImprovementChangeManagementMathematicsParadox
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a team meeting to address resistance to new strategies.
More from Edsger Dijkstra
All quotes βSimplicity is prerequisite for reliability.
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The purpose of abstraction is not to be vague, but to create a new semantic level in which one can be absolutely precise.
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We shall do a much better programming job, provided that we approach the task with a full appreciation of its tremendous difficulty, provided that we stick to modest and elegant programming languages, provided that we respect the intrinsic limitations of the human mind and approach the task as Very Humble Programmers.
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The tools we use have a profound and devious influence on our thinking habits, and therefore on our thinking abilities.
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LISP has jokingly been described as "the most intelligent way to misuse a computer." I think that description is a great compliment because it transmits the full flavour of liberation: it has assisted a number of our most gifted fellow humans in thinking previously impossible thoughts.
Edsger DijkstraRead
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