The quote "What I cannot create, I do not understand" is just plain wrong.
From every aspect of the world one can get a mental model and, thus, understands it.
Take the weather or planetary relationship: we can't build them but we understand them.
Mental models are always inaccurate and often wrong in many ways. It's just a catch phrase to inspire people to go into the details. Building it provides some clues.
Using what you built, now you're finally exposed to just how many things you can get wrong. It's humbling how much work and love goes into everything.
