One is that the pilot is a necessary evil, a liability if you like, who invariably makes incorrect decisions & can get easily overloaded in high workload situations. In this scenario, technology is the final line of defense. The goal of this camp is to restrict the input of the fallible human to the minimum & to eventually get the pilot out of the cockpit (literally) as soon as the flying public will accept it.
I have to say I've studied and worked with people in the aeronautical and automation sides of the industry (some of whom worked with and for Airbus as well as Boeing) and I have never, ever met anyone with the attitude expressed above. I've long been convinced that the existence of such people is a myth.