Problems, Tools, and People

... we are dealing with three elements: problems, tools, and people, and the essence of the situation is the interplay between them. More specifically, we cannot, as people, think of a problem without at the same time implying some kind of tool. Stronger yet, when the tool changes the problem is not the same any more. On the other hand, our opinion about what is a proper, or desirable, tool surely depends on our understanding of the problem. In any case the problem and tool are nothing if they are not recognized as such by a person--that is where the people come in.

THE SYMMETRICAL RELATION