He actually discusses it a bit in the previous paragraph, which does not seem to be online anywhere:<p>&gt; When programming languages emerged, the &quot;dynamic&quot; nature of the assignment statement did not seem to fit too well into the &quot;static&quot; nature of traditional mathematics. For lack of an adequate theory mathematicians did not feel to easy about it, and, because it is the repetitive construct that creates the need for assignment to variables, mathematicians did not feel to easy about repetition either. When programming languages without assignments and without repetition --such as pure LISP-- were developed many felt greatly relieved. They were back on familiar grounds and saw a glimmer of hope of making programming an activity with a firm and respectable mathematical basis. (Up to this very day there is among the more theoretically inclined computing scientists still a widespread feeling that recursive programs &quot;come more naturally&quot; than repetitive ones.)<p>Continued <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;tinyletter.com&#x2F;programmingphilosophy&#x2F;letters&#x2F;i-don-t-like-to-crack-an-egg-with-a-sledgehammer" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;tinyletter.com&#x2F;programmingphilosophy&#x2F;letters&#x2F;i-don-t...</a>