Just trying to get a handle on the life experience that has lead to the conclusion that thought processes can't/don't get faster.
I am an industrial engineer who does a few different types of programming, machine tools, PLCs, a bit of Python, etc.
I can tell you unequivocally that I program circles around guys who haven't the experience that I have.
They may even be "smarter" and better overall programmers than I, but the simple fact that I have seen so many more problems and scenarios makes me much faster and able to do the same job with less, and less "buggy" code.
Not bragging here by any means, but the processing in my mind is usually several steps ahead of the keys or buttons I am physically pushing, kind of like a working "cache".
If you don't think that experience and dealing with diverse situations and problems allows one to become not only faster, but also more proficient, I say you are dead wrong, IMO.