Earlier quoted context omitted.
Obviously a recommendation to have a high assertion density does not mean "shotgun-spraying assertions in the code". If your point is just that the rule could be applied mechanically and without thinking and that would be bad, then that's true, but it applies to everything, not just to the rule about assertions. Someone could apply the "keep functions definitions below 60 lines" rule in a perverse way, by splitting e…
In my experience that what's will happen in practice, especially when there is a specific metric attached. Doubly so once there is a mechanically enforced required amount of assertions. Wouldn't it be better if we could create programs that were correct by construction (and thus needed no assertions)?
Assertions are not meant to be needed. Any bug-free programm should behave exactly the same with and without assertions.
On the other hand, in any sufficiently complex algorithm, asserting the pre- and postconditions generally helps readability, maintainablilty and correctness.