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In the talk titled "Grokking FP For The Practicing Rubyist," Norbert Wójtowicz explores the misconceptions surrounding functional programming (FP) and highlights its relevance for Ruby developers. Throughout his presentation delivered at the wroc_love.rb 2022 event, he emphasizes that functional programming is not solely about pure functions without side effects. Instead, the core of FP includes understanding data, calculations, and actions. Wójtowicz introduces three main concepts:

- **Data**: This is defined as information at rest that does not require a computer for interpretation and can yield new insights when contextualized. He uses the anecdote of Sumerian clay tablets to illustrate how data retains its meaning and relevance across time. 
- **Calculations**: These functions yield consistent outputs based solely on their inputs, regardless of the number of executions. He exemplifies this using the Enigma machine, which decrypts messages reliably without variations in results. In contrast, he discusses how introducing variables like sales tax can render calculations dependent, thus complicating their predictability. 
- **Actions**: In contrast to calculations, actions depend on the timing and frequency of execution. Wójtowicz illustrates this concept with the example of a web service that generates random bits based on quantum principles, emphasizing that actions can lead to unpredictability in the outcomes.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of identifying these elements in their coding practices, advocating for a systematic understanding rather than merely adhering to trendy paradigms. Notably, he discusses the common pitfalls in Rails applications concerning logic handling between models, views, and controllers, leading to undesired complexities. He urges developers to practice stratified design to ensure clean, modular code and reduce coupling between components. With practical tips, Wójtowicz guides developers on how to organize their programs more effectively and think critically about their system's architecture.

In conclusion, Wójtowicz encourages embracing the concepts of data, calculations, and actions for better programming practices, facilitating a deeper intuition for clean design. He references a book, "Grokking Simplicity" by Eric Normand, as a resource for further exploration into these functional programming concepts.

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