--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conventional wisdom, fooled by our…" description: "\"Conventional wisdom, fooled by our misleading \"physical intuition\", is that the real world is \"continuous\", and that discrete models are necessary evil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/743/doron-zeilberger-42898_computer_conventional-wisdom-fooled-by-our-mislea_1715332.jpg" --- # Conventional wisdom, fooled by our misleading "physical… ![“Conventional wisdom, fooled by our misleading "physical intuition", is that the real world is "continuous", and that discrete models are necessary evils for approximating the "real" world, due to the innate discreteness of the digital computer.” quote by Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/743/doron-zeilberger-42898_computer_conventional-wisdom-fooled-by-our-mislea_1715332.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/743/doron-zeilberger-42898_computer_conventional-wisdom-fooled-by-our-mislea_1715332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/743/doron-zeilberger-42898_computer_conventional-wisdom-fooled-by-our-mislea_1715332.jpg) > “Conventional wisdom, fooled by our misleading "physical intuition", is that the real world is "continuous", and that discrete models are necessary evils for approximating the "real" world, due to the innate discreteness of the digital computer.” [Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doron-zeilberger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical intuition suggests continuity, but digital computers are inherently discrete, making discrete models essential approximations. **In simple terms:** Computers are discrete; continuity is an illusion. Key Takeaway Accept discrete modeling as necessary. Themes computing philosophy modeling Mood analytical critical Type philosophical technical When to use this quote - software development - physics simulations - numerical analysis - education - engineering Key Concepts discreteness approximation digital reality Questions to Reflect On - How does discreteness affect scientific predictions? - Can continuous intuition mislead design? A Different Perspective Discrete models may oversimplify complex phenomena. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Conventional wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventional-wisdom/) [Digital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Intuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuition/) [Necessary evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-evil/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The great revelation of the quantum theory was that features of discreteness were discovered in the Book of Nature, in a context in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-schrodinger/the-great-revelation-of-the-quantum-theory-was-that-features-of/) [Erwin Schrodinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-schrodinger/) > [I do not know if it has ever been noted before that one of the main characteristics of life is discreteness. 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Bartlett Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-bartlett-giamatti/) ## More by Doron Zeilberger > [Let me also remind you that zero, like all of mathematics, is fictional and an idealization. It is impossible to reach absolute zero temperature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doron-zeilberger/let-me-also-remind-you-that-zero-like-all-of-mathematics-is-fictional/) [Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doron-zeilberger/) > [Programming is much much harder than doing mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doron-zeilberger/programming-is-much-much-harder-than-doing-mathematics/) [Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doron-zeilberger/) > [No Victor, you got it backwards, you should evaluate these integrals non-rigorously if you can, and rigorously if you must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doron-zeilberger/no-victor-you-got-it-backwards-you-should-evaluate-these-integrals/) [Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doron-zeilberger/) > [Mathematics my foot! Algorithms are mathematics too, and often more interesting and definitely more useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doron-zeilberger/mathematics-my-foot-algorithms-are-mathematics-too-and-often-more/) [Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doron-zeilberger/) > [The 'lowly' finite is MUCH more beautiful than any 'infinite'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doron-zeilberger/the-lowly-finite-is-much-more-beautiful-than-any-infinite/) [Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doron-zeilberger/) > [When a problem seems intractable, it is often a good idea to try to study "toy" versions of it in the hope that as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doron-zeilberger/when-a-problem-seems-intractable-it-is-often-a-good-idea-to-try-to/) [Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doron-zeilberger/) > [Regardless of whether or not God exists, God has no place in mathematics, at least in my book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doron-zeilberger/regardless-of-whether-or-not-god-exists-god-has-no-place-in/) [Doron Zeilberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doron-zeilberger/) > [You can keep counting forever. 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