[microgood]

The content of philosophy courses probably isn't very important

All thought is based on philosophy, including scientific thought. All potential scientists should be required to understand the Philosophy of Science and be tested rigorously on it. Most scientists today are ignorant of the philosophical basis for their thinking to the detriment of all of us.

[VadeRetro]

Most scientists today are ignorant of the philosophical basis for their thinking to the detriment of all of us.

Nah! Philosophy is historically important, but not practically important.

[edsheppa]

All thought is based on philosophy, including scientific thought.

I'd say a major theme of 19th and 20th century science was the realization that philosophical musing isn't very useful for gaining knowledge about the world. IMO, a very good example of this is Gauss's realization that, not only isn't it self evident that space is Equclidean, but that it is an empirical question - he actually attempted to measure spatial curvature.

I don't think science today can be considered philosophical in any significant way. Methodological naturalism and empiricism are philosophical only in the waekest sense, in the same way that an engineer's philosophy is to adopt what works.