Yeah, top-down programming is useful for understanding recursion, e.g. "wishful thinking". I think Jerry Sussman describes this beautifully in this SICP lecture

Yeah, top-down programming is useful for understanding recursion, e.g. "wishful thinking". I think Jerry Sussman describes this beautifully in this SICP lecture snippet https://youtu.be/amf5lTZ0UTc?t=3501 https://youtu.be/amf5lTZ0UTc?t=3501 "...but since I know [the function X], by wishful thinking, will produce the simplified result, then I don't have to think about it anymore. I've used it. I've used it in a reasonable way. I will get a reasonable answer." I didn't understand recursion too well until finishing chapter 2 of SICP.