It may be an important question because answering it requires dissecting the similarities and differences between software development and the jobs that people

It may be an important question because answering it requires dissecting the similarities and differences between software development and the jobs that people usually call "engineering". In doing so, we see what lessons there are to take from each other, and gain a better understanding of both fields. For example, the author cites that version control is an innovation that traditional engineering could hugely benefit from.