Progress is possible only if we train ourselves to think about programs without thinking of them as pieces of executable code.
Edsger DijkstraRead
The purpose of abstraction is not to be vague, but to create a new semantic level in which one can be absolutely precise.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Abstraction aims to clarify concepts by allowing for precise expression without ambiguity.
In this quote, Edsger Dijkstra emphasizes that the intention behind abstraction is not to obscure meaning, but rather to elevate understanding to a clearer and more precise level. Abstraction serves as a powerful tool in various fields, especially in computer science and mathematics, where it enables individuals to simplify complex ideas while maintaining accuracy in communication and thought.
Themes
AbstractionPrecisionClarityUnderstandingCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about programming paradigms, one might use this quote to highlight the importance of abstraction in software development.
More from Edsger Dijkstra
All quotes βSimplicity is prerequisite for reliability.
Edsger DijkstraRead
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.
Edsger DijkstraRead
The tools we use have a profound and devious influence on our thinking habits, and therefore on our thinking abilities.
Edsger DijkstraRead
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
A most important, but also most elusive, aspect of any tool is its influence on the habits of those who train themselves in its use. If the tool is a programming language this influence is, whether we like it or not, an influence on our thinking habits.... A programming language is a tool that has profound influence on our thinking habits.
Edsger DijkstraRead
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