--- title: "Best Edsger Dijkstra Sayings" description: "Edsger Wybe Dijkstra was a Dutch computer scientist, programmer, mathematician and science essayist. Browse 103 Edsger Dijkstra quotes." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b103/author-edsger-dijkstra-5102.jpg" --- ![Portrait of Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b103/author-edsger-dijkstra-5102.jpg) # Edsger Dijkstra (1930–2002) Mathematician **103** quotes in **569** categories Rate this collection: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet Edsger Dijkstra was a mathematician, best known for *Structured Programming*. ## Quick Facts About Edsger Dijkstra Born May 11, 1930 Died August 6, 2002 Profession Mathematician Notable works Structured Programming ## About Edsger Dijkstra Edsger Wybe Dijkstra was a Dutch computer scientist, programmer, mathematician and science essayist. ## Quotes by Edsger Dijkstra · Page 3 > [I would therefore like to posit that computing's central challenge, how not to make a mess of it, has not yet been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/i-would-therefore-like-to-posit-that-computing-s-central-challenge/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e03/edsger-dijkstra-5102_challenge_i-would-therefore-like-to-posit-that-com_1124627.jpg) > [The tools we use have a profound and devious influence on our thinking habits, and therefore on our thinking abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-tools-we-use-have-a-profound-and-devious-influence-on-our/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4f/edsger-dijkstra-5102_ability_the-tools-we-use-have-a-profound-and-dev_2778499.png) > [It used to be the program's purpose to instruct our computers; it became the computer's purpose to execute our programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/it-used-to-be-the-program-s-purpose-to-instruct-our-computers-it/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db4/edsger-dijkstra-5102_computer_it-used-to-be-the-program-s-purpose-to-i_593561.png) > [A convincing demonstration of correctness being impossible as long as the mechanism is regarded as a black box, our only hope lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/a-convincing-demonstration-of-correctness-being-impossible-as-long-as/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58c/edsger-dijkstra-5102_black_a-convincing-demonstration-of-correctnes_2162436.png) > [The lurking suspicion that something could be simplified is the world's richest source of rewarding challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-lurking-suspicion-that-something-could-be-simplified-is-the-world/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/edsger-dijkstra-5102_challenges_the-lurking-suspicion-that-something-cou_1089042.png) > [\[Though computer science is a fairly new discipline, it is predominantly based on the Cartesian world view. As Edsgar W. Dijkstra has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/though-computer-science-is-a-fairly-new-discipline-it-is/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Aspect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/edsger-dijkstra-5102_aspect_though-computer-science-is-a-fairly-new_1280947.png) > [Why has elegance found so little following? That is the reality of it. Elegance has the disadvantage, if that's what it is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/why-has-elegance-found-so-little-following-that-is-the-reality-of-it/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Achieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/edsger-dijkstra-5102_achieve_why-has-elegance-found-so-little-followi_708552.png) > [Some consider the puzzles that are created by their omissions as spicy challenges, without which their texts would be boring; others shun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/some-consider-the-puzzles-that-are-created-by-their-omissions-as/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/139/edsger-dijkstra-5102_boring_some-consider-the-puzzles-that-are-creat_1709983.png) > [We are all shaped by the tools we use, in particular: the formalisms we use shape our thinking habits, for better or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/we-are-all-shaped-by-the-tools-we-use-in-particular-the-formalisms-we/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/edsger-dijkstra-5102_careful_we-are-all-shaped-by-the-tools-we-use-in_1200338.png) > [... as a slow-witted human being I have a very small head and I had better learn to live with it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/as-a-slow-witted-human-being-i-have-a-very-small-head-and-i-had/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/167/edsger-dijkstra-5102_credit_as-a-slow-witted-human-being-i-have-a-ve_3093893.png) > [If in physics there's something you don't understand, you can always hide behind the uncharted depths of nature. You can always blame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/if-in-physics-there-s-something-you-don-t-understand-you-can-always/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Behind you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behind-you/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/edsger-dijkstra-5102_behind-you_if-in-physics-there-s-something-you-don_967334.png) > [The competent programmer is fully aware of the strictly limited size of his own skull; therefore he approaches the programming task in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-competent-programmer-is-fully-aware-of-the-strictly-limited-size/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cb/edsger-dijkstra-5102_approach_the-competent-programmer-is-fully-aware_768570.jpg) > [Write a paper promising salvation, make it a structured something or a virtual something, or abstract, distributed or higher-order or applicative and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/write-a-paper-promising-salvation-make-it-a-structured-something-or-a/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstract/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ff/edsger-dijkstra-5102_abstract_write-a-paper-promising-salvation-make-i_1351648.png) > [The students that, like the wild animal being prepared for its tricks in the circus called 'life', expects only training as sketched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-students-that-like-the-wild-animal-being-prepared-for-its-tricks/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Circus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circus/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/edsger-dijkstra-5102_circus_the-students-that-like-the-wild-animal-b_762360.png) > [I now have had my foggy crystal ball for quite a long time. Its predictions are invariably gloomy and usually correct, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/i-now-have-had-my-foggy-crystal-ball-for-quite-a-long-time-its/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balls/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/edsger-dijkstra-5102_balls_i-now-have-had-my-foggy-crystal-ball-for_458552.png) > [The required techniques of effective reasoning are pretty formal, but as long as programming is done by people that don't master them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-required-techniques-of-effective-reasoning-are-pretty-formal-but/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42b/edsger-dijkstra-5102_cases_the-required-techniques-of-effective-rea_2383285.png) > [Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes, biology is about microscopes or chemistry is about beakers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/computer-science-is-no-more-about-computers-than-astronomy-is-about-2/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d24/edsger-dijkstra-5102_astronomy_computer-science-is-no-more-about-comput_1438116.png) > [If 10 years from now, when you are doing something quick and dirty, you suddenly visualize that I am looking over your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/if-10-years-from-now-when-you-are-doing-something-quick-and-dirty-you/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Dirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirty/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44e/edsger-dijkstra-5102_dirty_if-10-years-from-now-when-you-are-doing_908973.jpg) > [In their capacity as a tool, computers will be but a ripple on the surface of our culture. In their capacity as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/in-their-capacity-as-a-tool-computers-will-be-but-a-ripple-on-the/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Capacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capacity/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a2/edsger-dijkstra-5102_capacity_in-their-capacity-as-a-tool-computers-wi_948499.png) > [Are you quite sure that all those bells and whistles, all those wonderful facilities of your so called powerful programming languages, belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/are-you-quite-sure-that-all-those-bells-and-whistles-all-those/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bells/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/edsger-dijkstra-5102_bells_are-you-quite-sure-that-all-those-bells_2482974.png) > [In passing I draw attention to another English expression which often occurs in Dutch texts: "the real world". In Dutch - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/in-passing-i-draw-attention-to-another-english-expression-which-often/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/edsger-dijkstra-5102_attention_in-passing-i-draw-attention-to-another-e_2074279.png) > [I mentioned the non-competitive spirit explicitly, because these days, excellence is a fashionable concept. But excellence is a competitive notion, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/i-mentioned-the-non-competitive-spirit-explicitly-because-these-days/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca4/edsger-dijkstra-5102_competitive_i-mentioned-the-non-competitive-spirit-e_1501540.jpg) > [ Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about \[the goto statement\]. I have the uncomfortable feeling… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-i-am-terribly/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.png) ## Edsger Dijkstra by topic [Programming (47)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/edsger-dijkstra/) [Technology (32)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/edsger-dijkstra/) [Computers (14)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/edsger-dijkstra/) [Programmers (13)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programmers/edsger-dijkstra/) [Computer (11)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/edsger-dijkstra/) [Use (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/edsger-dijkstra/) [Thinking (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/edsger-dijkstra/) [Should (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/edsger-dijkstra/) [Program (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/edsger-dijkstra/) [Language (10)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/edsger-dijkstra/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/#itemlist", "name": "Edsger Dijkstra Quotes", "numberOfItems": 23, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would therefore like to posit that computing's central challenge, how not to make a mess of it, has not yet been met.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edsger Dijkstra" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/i-would-therefore-like-to-posit-that-computing-s-central-challenge/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e03/edsger-dijkstra-5102_challenge_i-would-therefore-like-to-posit-that-com_1124627.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e03/edsger-dijkstra-5102_challenge_i-would-therefore-like-to-posit-that-com_1124627.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e03/edsger-dijkstra-5102_challenge_i-would-therefore-like-to-posit-that-com_1124627.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would therefore like to posit that computing's central challenge, how not to make a mess of it, has not…” — Edsger Dijkstra", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The tools we use have a profound and devious influence on our thinking habits, and therefore on our thinking abilities.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edsger Dijkstra" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/the-tools-we-use-have-a-profound-and-devious-influence-on-our/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4f/edsger-dijkstra-5102_ability_the-tools-we-use-have-a-profound-and-dev_2778499.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4f/edsger-dijkstra-5102_ability_the-tools-we-use-have-a-profound-and-dev_2778499.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4f/edsger-dijkstra-5102_ability_the-tools-we-use-have-a-profound-and-dev_2778499.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The tools we use have a profound and devious influence on our thinking habits, and therefore on our thinking…” — Edsger Dijkstra", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It used to be the program's purpose to instruct our computers; 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As Edsgar W. Dijkstra has pointed out] A scientific discipline emerges with the - usually rather slow! - discovery of which aspects can be meaningfully 'studied' in isolation for the sake of their own consistency.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edsger Dijkstra" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/though-computer-science-is-a-fairly-new-discipline-it-is/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/edsger-dijkstra-5102_aspect_though-computer-science-is-a-fairly-new_1280947.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/edsger-dijkstra-5102_aspect_though-computer-science-is-a-fairly-new_1280947.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/edsger-dijkstra-5102_aspect_though-computer-science-is-a-fairly-new_1280947.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[Though computer science is a fairly new discipline, it is predominantly based on the Cartesian world view…” — Edsger Dijkstra", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why has elegance found so little following? That is the reality of it. Elegance has the disadvantage, if that's what it is, that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edsger Dijkstra" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/why-has-elegance-found-so-little-following-that-is-the-reality-of-it/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/edsger-dijkstra-5102_achieve_why-has-elegance-found-so-little-followi_708552.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/edsger-dijkstra-5102_achieve_why-has-elegance-found-so-little-followi_708552.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/edsger-dijkstra-5102_achieve_why-has-elegance-found-so-little-followi_708552.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why has elegance found so little following? That is the reality of it. 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I have the uncomfortable feeling that others are making a religion out of it, as if the conceptual problems of programming could be solved by a single trick, by a simple form of coding discipline!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edsger Dijkstra" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-i-am-terribly/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about [the goto statement]. 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