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So, what would you have scientists do differently?

Learn realist philosophy, because naturalistic science presupposes a realist worldview like Aristotle's and Aquinas'. Errors in methodology and objectives can occur when scientists don't understand the principles upon which their endeavors are based.

For example, a doctor, in order to be consistent with the principles upon which his science is based, would have to categorize "the pill" as a poison rather than as a medication. Why? Because the object of medicine is the restoration of the body's proper operation. Since pregnancy represents a state of health, "the pill" represents a poison, since it interfere's with the body's proper operation.

Certainly, medications may be dispensed which carry with them serious side effects. But doctors dispense them with the goal of restoring the body to a greater overall state of health. Such is not the case with "the pill."

The implications for the dismemberment of and experimentation on human beings in early stages of development are more obvious, and of even greater importance.

Another example of a case where science would benefit from a proper understanding of philosophy is the field of "artificial intelligence," since the act of understanding in human beings is fundamentally spiritual. A machine cannot in principle understand anything.

[ Another example of a case where science would benefit from a proper understanding of philosophy is the field of "artificial intelligence," since the act of understanding in human beings is fundamentally spiritual. A machine cannot in principle understand anything. ]

Beautiful... as a computer programmar since 1967 I can testify that that STATEMENT is true.. Some scientists appear to worship at the feet of an Automatic Machine God.. like a child plays with toys..

Learn realist philosophy

Good advice. You ought to take it sometime.

Admittedly, your version is advancing. These days, you have to sign stuff to get more than two boxes of the poison (pseudoephedrine) that interferes with the natural production of nasal/sinus mucus. For some reason, the politicians don't want to explicitly declare their allegiance to realist philosophy (and instead come up with some excuses about "meth" production), but the perceptive student is not fooled.

Another advance in the war against poisoning the proper operation of the body:

Following a health trend that appears to be brewing up all over the nation, Mayor Judith Rawson has signed a proclamation for the City of Shaker Heights that addresses the issues regarding caffeine intoxication and dependency.
In the proclamation the Mayor is "calling upon all Shaker Heights citizens, public and private institutions, business and schools to increase awareness and understanding of the consequences of caffeine consumption."

the object of medicine is the restoration of the body's proper operation. Since pregnancy represents a state of health, "the pill" represents a poison, since it interfere's with the body's proper operation.

"Health" is subjective. "Proper operation" is so subjective as to be almost meaningless. The twenty-year old unmarried woman who doesn't want a kid would disagree with your presumptuous assertion that pregnant and puking is her "proper" and "healthy" state.

I've noticed that Steve-b has already skewered this foray of yours into the philosophy of medicine, but I wanted to point out that you've defined acetaminophen (aka Tylenol) as a poison, unless you believe that temporarily suppressing the immune system is restoring the body to its "proper" and "healthy" operation. Anesthesia, too, is an entire field of extremely important medicine which you would define as the disbursal of poison. You *do* request that no litocaine be used when you get a root canal, correct?

Birth control pills are hormones which mimic the natural hormones which the body secretes in order to achieve certain outcomes.

When menopausal women take synthetic estrogens in order to stave off heart disease and alleviate the unpleasant aspects of menopause (hot flashes, "brain fog," insomnia, emotional lability) -- are they taking poison? How about post-hysterectomy women?

When elderly men take synthetic testosterone in order to continue to have full sexual function, not to mention improved wound healing and normal muscle mass -- are they taking poison?

What about men with prostate cancer, who take estrogens in order to stop the growth of the cancer? Is that poison?