This is a prime example of the conflict between the "machine model" of programming (a computer is a large and elaborate state machine that advances instruction by instruction) and the "maths model" (by reasoning from a set of axioms and rules of production we can transform information or prove facts).
The former maps onto imperative programming, and the latter onto functional programming. It seems that different people find these models harder or easier to understand - and then get confused when not everyone sees it that way.
The former maps onto imperative programming, and the latter onto functional programming. It seems that different people find these models harder or easier to understand - and then get confused when not everyone sees it that way.