John_Maxwell_IV comments on You don't need Kant - Less Wrong
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Can you imagine a successful computer programmer who was constantly looking up the syntax of the language they were programming in? Memorization is damn near essential.
I expect a good computer programmer to be effective in a language he has not seen before by looking up the syntax as he needs it, and to increase his effectiveness over time by learning the syntax through use, without any specific effort of memorization. At least, provided the novel language is good.
Good point. Now that you frame things in terms of how knowledge is acquired, the only thing I'm glad to have memorized is math facts in elementary school. But they have been pretty helpful!