"... researching ... lookout and its relevance on the modern commercial flight deck ..."
Many newer airline pilots don't perceive any need for any view to the outside (see thread about READING while on duty, or threads promoting covering-over windows for sun protection).
There are several reasons to keep a view of the outside: first is that visible HORIZON helps the human's SA (airliner upset history). During CRZ, several airline crews have entered the tops of CBs.
On the subject of traffic avoidance, here are two main lessons from decades of mishap-history:
-- Limitations of the human's ability to "see & avoid", or the inappropriate proposal of the "See & Avoid" Concept as a means of collision avoidance.
-- Several collisions and inflight upsets resulted when the human's response to the visual sighting induced the collision / upset.
Regarding the human pilot’s evasive-efforts, after mis-perceiving a collision-risk (examples actually began with standard vertical separation): Evasive maneuver inducing _upset_ / LoC, see EAL 663 /
8Feb65 DC-7B, N849D. [Illusion of mid-air collision, in-flight upset, unusual attitude, LoC, crashed.]
For an evasive maneuver producing a collision-impact, see: "Mid-air" /
4Dec65 11,000' near Carmel NY: "TWA 42" B707-131B N748TW collision with "Eastern 853" L-1049C N6218C. [Pilot collided with the aircraft he had attempted to avoid.] // P.C. = misjudgment of altitude separation by EA 853 because of
optical illusion created by upslope effect of cloud-tops.
Even TCAS' automated RA has induced upset:
ADC / 7Nov96 B727-231, MSN= 20054, Reg 5N-BBF. Enroute descent, TCAS-alert, evasive maneuver, upset, Loss of Control, high-speed dive, impact. // near Imota, Nigeria.