Indeed, different approaches lead to different conclusions. Which isn’t to say either or is exclusively valid. As I always like to say - two things can true at the same time.
Also, I get what you’re saying and didn’t mean to imply you were making a normative statement. I also didn’t mean to imply that the aspect of understanding is not important. It’s fundamental, including from a practical standpoint. In fact, in the past I used to be so much into figuring out the why that I ended up underestimating the what . Then I noticed that different whys can lead to the same or very similar whats, regardless of the content of the whys and I thought that was very interesting. And yet, trying to seperate them beyond the conceptual has tunred out to be nigh impossible.
Anyway, confusing internal monologue over.
Edit: Basically, I am sorta halfway retracting the “distinction without a difference” and going with the always safe “it’s complicated”
No yeah I didn’t mean to imply that this is something that is particular to Russia, or any other entity for that matter. I think the functions and methods must be analyzed independently of who they concern on either side of the equation