[gobucks]

"Science's pressing need for philosophy, however, stands on about a par with its pressing need in auto mechanics or fish farming or writing traffic tickets."

Right. Ok. Science is Independent of any underlying philosopical basis. Got it, trust it, I'm there. It just stands alone, sort of like Kant's first imperative. It is just 'there'. Like the sky being blue....

I get it.

'a par' .... nice attempt at using a golf metaphor though.

[js1138]

Science obviously embodies assumptions, but the question is whether working science requires formal philosophy, and the answer is no.

No more than engineering, gardening or motorcycle maintenance requires formal philosophy.

Science is empirical, which means it is driven by findings rather than by formal deduction. There are, of course, people who follow along behind and tidy things up, but the process of discovery is pretty messy.

[donh]

Right. Ok. Science is Independent of any underlying philosopical basis.

Natural inquiry was around before Thales invented philosophy, and will still be around after the last philosopher retires from his cushy appointment to state-run and paid-for institutions of higher learning. Such folk naturally think philosophy "underlies" things. Folks who work for a living should be more skeptical.

Got it, trust it, I'm there. It just stands alone, sort of like Kant's first imperative. It is just 'there'. Like the sky being blue....

Quite so, other than for that Kant business about the ding un zich. The sky will continue to be blue, and chairs will maintain their ineffable chairlike essence, and curious people will continue to look into natural phenomenon, even in the absence of philosophers--as incredible as that may seem at first glance.