> Is it reasonable to assume that the natural decline in cognitive performance over time is offset by the gains in experience and expertise?
It depends on what you're doing.
The stronger cognitive strength needed, the less it can be replaced with experience.
Some chess grandmasters are teenagers. Maybe maths intensive ML research could be a bit comparable. But that's... Maths. Or distributed software algorithm optimizations?
In the vast majority of software work (as in > 99% ?), experience is more important, though, if you're bright enough when young. Or so I think
(But when closer to 80 or 90 or 100 years, that's different of course.)
It depends on what you're doing.
The stronger cognitive strength needed, the less it can be replaced with experience.
Some chess grandmasters are teenagers. Maybe maths intensive ML research could be a bit comparable. But that's... Maths. Or distributed software algorithm optimizations?
In the vast majority of software work (as in > 99% ?), experience is more important, though, if you're bright enough when young. Or so I think
(But when closer to 80 or 90 or 100 years, that's different of course.)