# The filter function is non-intuitive

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/the-filter-function-is-non-intuitive/45674>\
**Category:** Internals & Design\
**Created:** [August 28, 2020, 10:46am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/the-filter-function-is-non-intuitive/45674 "2020-08-28T10:46:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 10

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**Author:** ![ianfiske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ianfiske](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ianfiske)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/the-filter-function-is-non-intuitive/45674/10 "2020-08-28T13:46:39Z")

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Although I completely agree with the sentiment that this should _not_ be changed for all the reasons mentioned above, it’s worth noting that even in common use like “coffee filter”, not just EE use, “filter” often implies the removal. So confusion is warranted for any relatively new programmers, though they’d experience this regardless of language choice.

But it’s just something to get used to since, like others have said, this is the convention in all programming languages.

edit: also see [Filter (higher-order function) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_(higher-order_function))

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