Starting to believe that, in this century, pilots suffer of mental atrophy.
Possibly some, but certainly not all.
My present First Officer is of the latter type.
He is constantly asking questions about performance (just as one example), especially as we completed an engine unserviceable ferry not all that long ago.
It is indeed a pleasure to fly with folks like this, and he is rapidly on the road to an early Command....at age 27.
'To have superior knowledge is to greatly succeed' is an old saying, true yesterday, true today.
To have actual operating experience is also very important, of course, however....it is just as important to know why as to know how.