That's true. I don't think that there are major things in those disciplines that are directly applicable in a timeless fashion. My main goal is to find out how

That's true. I don't think that there are major things in those disciplines that are directly applicable in a timeless fashion. My main goal is to find out how these disciplines came about. How exactly did they settle upon their body of knowledge such that they can produce reliable results in the way they do. Not so much what those methods are, but rather how they came about. What is the common thread there and how, if at all possible, can we use that accelerate the same maturity in software? Maybe it's a process that has to run its course? Maybe at 80 years old, if I live that long, I'll look on a very different kind of software development. With that said, I also have Fred Brooks whispering "no silver bullet" into my ear on the other shoulder.