Any bits of knowledge that have solidified such that they can be retrieved effortlessly, can be used as building blocks to construct or understand higher order knowledge.
Memorization may not (initially) help with understanding the particular thing you're trying to memorise per se, but dismissing it altogether as not being generally relevant for creating understanding is wrong.
Also, knowledge is bidirectional. A higher order concept you learned because you were able to use a more basic building block to reach that understanding, may later provide the insight that then allows you to get a better, revised understanding of the lower building block too, without compromising any of its dependents.
Any bits of knowledge that have solidified such that they can be retrieved effortlessly, can be used as building blocks to construct or understand higher order knowledge.
Memorization may not (initially) help with understanding the particular thing you're trying to memorise per se, but dismissing it altogether as not being generally relevant for creating understanding is wrong.
Also, knowledge is bidirectional. A higher order concept you learned because you were able to use a more basic building block to reach that understanding, may later provide the insight that then allows you to get a better, revised understanding of the lower building block too, without compromising any of its dependents.