Old Carthusian, thank you for your post, which eloquently confirms from a pilot's point of view what I, as humble SLF, tried to express in an earlier post.
This bit especially jumps out:
This means knowing your aircraft and knowing what to do if the aircraft gets into unusual situations. It means training and anticipation - avoidance is better than reaction.
Surely pilots must think beyond the parameters of training courses? Especially in a working environment where unexpected problems can kill you, don't pilots ask themselves a ton of 'what if' questions? 'What if the autopilot drops out at night, in cruise, and we happen to be in bad turbulence?' would seem the kind of question I would hope the chaps up front had asked themselves as I strap myself into 12F.
Or are pilots today encouraged NOT to think that kind of thought?