Progress is possible only if we train ourselves to think about programs without thinking of them as pieces of executable code.
Edsger DijkstraRead
We are all shaped by the tools we use, in particular: the formalisms we use shape our thinking habits, for better or for worse, and that means that we have to be very careful in the choice of what we learn and teach, for unlearning is not really possible.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The tools and formalism we engage with have a profound influence on our thinking and learning processes.
Edsger Dijkstra's quote emphasizes the importance of the tools and methods we utilize in education, suggesting that they not only shape our thought patterns but also affect our ability to learn and unlearn information. This highlights the responsibility educators and learners have in selecting appropriate tools, as their impact on cognitive habits can be long-lasting and potentially irreversible.
Themes
EducationToolsThinkingLearningFormalism
In practice
Example use cases
In a seminar about effective teaching methods, this quote can be used to stress the importance of choosing the right educational tools.
More from Edsger Dijkstra
All quotes →Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.
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.
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
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