Argument Quote by Edsger Dijkstra
“Yes, I share your concern: how to program well -though a teachable topic- is hardly taught. The situation is similar to that in mathematics, where the explicit curriculum is confined to mathematical results; how to do mathematics is something the student must absorb by osmosis, so to speak. One reason for preferring symbol-manipulating, calculating arguments is that their design is much better teachable than the design of verbal/pictorial arguments. Large-scale introduction of courses on such calculational methodology, however, would encounter unsurmoutable political problems.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Education of a Programmer, 1972
Effective programming requires deep, tacit understanding beyond formal curricula, akin to learning mathematics by intuition.
In simple terms: Programming skill grows through practice, not just theory.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate intuition through hands‑on problem solving.
Themes
education
programming
intuition
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
essay
technical
When to use this quote
- software development
- academic teaching
- self‑study
- bootcamps
Key Concepts
cognitive science
pedagogy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can educators embed intuition into curricula?
- What personal practices develop your programming intuition?
A Different Perspective
Formal courses may not capture the nuanced, creative aspects of problem solving.
![“Please don't fall into the trap of believing that I am terribly dogmatical about [the goto statement]. 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!” quote by Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ad/edsger-dijkstra-5102_believe_please-don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-belie_167695.jpg)
