> I know this is HN, but can we please stop drawing these vague parallels between basic programming concepts and the functioning of the human brain? No, becaus

> I know this is HN, but can we please stop drawing these vague parallels between basic programming concepts and the functioning of the human brain? No, because I literally don't remember my to do list after writing to my EDC notebook. The only thing I know is, it's in the notebook. So I only know the address of my to do list. I'm a literal sitting duck if I leave my notebook at home. > I cannot tell you with complete confidence whether writing stuff down improves recall or diminishes it ... I can tell you because I observe myself over 5+ years since I started to write my daily plans consistently to my notebook. > I could posit that writing actually improves your memory, because the minute movements of your arm require more of your brain to compute, therefore creating more neural connections and possibilities of recall. What it improves is not the "verbatim memory", but the concepts you work on. Working on something slowly, and with a reflection medium (i.e. pen & paper) allows your brain to refine the thing you're working on better and store it as a concept, rather than memorized string. > This is likely just as wrong, but demonstrates that thinking up some vague explanation is insufficient to make a point about a system as complex as the human brain. I have read a paper about supporting the claims I did in this comment, but I failed to find it in a whim. Will update/reply this comment if I find it. I use these analogies because of that paper.