Alan Perlis's Epigrams on Programming[1] are often repeated but less often analyzed.
Maybe he was saying that humans tend towards emotions and imprecise thoughts, and we must squash that tendency to become good programmers.
On the other hand, I think (although I don't have references to back it up) many people believe that humans' capacity for "algorithmic thought" is a key separation from the rest of the animal kingdom. Under that belief system, programming must be a natural act because it comes from of one of the very traits that makes us human.
We could therefore read Perlis's epigram as a rejection of that belief. But it seems odd to make a sweeping, controversial(?) statement about human nature in such a roundabout way. Is there another interpretation?
Maybe he was saying that humans tend towards emotions and imprecise thoughts, and we must squash that tendency to become good programmers.
On the other hand, I think (although I don't have references to back it up) many people believe that humans' capacity for "algorithmic thought" is a key separation from the rest of the animal kingdom. Under that belief system, programming must be a natural act because it comes from of one of the very traits that makes us human.
We could therefore read Perlis's epigram as a rejection of that belief. But it seems odd to make a sweeping, controversial(?) statement about human nature in such a roundabout way. Is there another interpretation?
[1] http://www.cs.yale.edu/homes/perlis-alan/quotes.html