The scientific process, since it is based on empirical observation, can only address entities and phenomena that possess a position in time and space[1]. Asking it to directly address subjective subject matter is like asking a flashlight to study the darkness.<p>Philosophy may not be <i>directly</i> beneficial to the narrow practice of science, but it is critical to almost every activity surrounding it.<p>For example, philosophy can help scientists answer questions like:<p>- Does the pain caused during animal research justify the knowledge obtained from it?<p>- Should we fund scientists to study better methods of farming, or atomic bombs?<p>- Should we publish the details of the specific mutations required to produce a superbug from bird flu, or omit those details from our methods?<p>- What is scientific knowledge, and how does it differ from other types of knowledge?<p>And on and on and on.<p>Let&#x27;s look at Feynmann&#x27;s statement again, that &quot;Philosophy of science is about as useful to scientists as ornithology is to birds.&quot;<p>We&#x27;re supposed to read that and think &#x27;Hah, yeah - birds don&#x27;t know and can&#x27;t know <i>anything</i> about ornithology, how can it be useful to them?!&#x27;<p>Of course it can be useful to them. We study birds to better understand them and their behavior. We use the results of ornithology to make their lives better by answering questions like:<p>- What can we do to minimize the impact of wind-power generators on the migratory patterns of birds?<p>- How can we save and preserve this near-extince species of bird?<p>- How do birds influence the spread of jungles and other forests?<p>And on and on and on. Ornithologists study birds, and the interaction between birds and humans - of course such knowledge will be useful to birds.<p>In the same way, an individual scientist can be completely ignorant of philosophy and still be a good scientist - but philosophy (and other non-scientific disciplines) support and inform every aspect of life around her job. If she wants to explore the ethical ramifications of her work, needs to justify support of her work, or discuss the process of science contrast to other disciplines, she must begin to use the terminology and processes of philosophy, not science.<p>[1] &#x27;Soft sciences&#x27;, such as psychology, sociology, economics, etc. attempt to study subjective phenomena but do so by directly observing behavior of the entities&#x2F;systems under study.