“Que Sera Sera” is the title of a catchy tune from way back when that means: “Whatever will be will be.” The lyrics go on to say, “the future’s not ours to see.” For anyone reading this who has absolutely no connection to this cultural reference, a more modern term in common use would be: “It is was it is.” The notion of these terms captures a perspective known as “fatalism,” the idea that we humans are powerless to control the future. When you take a fatalistic phrase and add a catchy show tune to it, it’s known as “cheerful fatalism.”
One purpose of science and engineering is to do the best we can to make the best future possible. This is probably why society values our profession; so that we can avoid pitfalls from the past. Just when we think our designs are the best they can be, new technologies and innovations come along that make their way into our codes and standards.