One problem with this analogy is that a surgeon does not go into the operating room solo to remove your appendix. You would first be seen by an anesthesiologist

One problem with this analogy is that a surgeon does not go into the operating room solo to remove your appendix. You would first be seen by an anesthesiologist, someone with a nuanced understanding of biology and pharmacology, just to get you prepped for the operation (the surgeon likely has only a surface level understanding of this, and doesn't need it to perform her job). Once in the OR, you would also be attended to by Nurses to monitor your vitals and administer any medications and perform any life-saving interventions should something go awry. There also may be a Surgical Technician involved in preparing tools needed to perform the procedure. Perhaps an ultrasound technician is present to make sure the surgeon's incision hits the mark, etc, etc. The point is, there is still a ton of abstraction happening so that all the surgeon has to focus on is performing the procedure. This is very similar to how Software Development works on large projects, except we often have multiple surgeons operating on different parts of the same body at the same time! I think a better analogy for software would be construction. Multiple people of different specializations and skill-levels working together to produce a single artifact. As a framer, you don't need to know how to lay the foundation, you just need to know how to build on top of it. Furthermore, you don't need to know the chemical process of concrete to pour the foundation, you just follow the recipe that's been proven. You don't need to know the math required to determine the integrity of a structural load in order to frame a roof, you just follow a plan. Some projects may require engineers and specialists who do have a deep understanding of such things, but only to create the blueprints.