Joe

I'm not entirely sure, but you seem to be putting forward views of a very holistic nature that would rule out any kind of mind independent absolute as existing independently of us. Certainly the experimental outcomes at the quantum level could point to this scenario, the essential notion of the observer/measuring device fits into this kind of complete holistic system. The interpretations that we take from quantum measurement involve facing up to the fact that at the most fundamental level we cannot invoke a separation between subject and object - the notion of an observer/measuring device is a requirement. I take from it a notion of mind independent reality as existing "out there" (I would prefer to call it an interpretation rather than an assumption). But none of this stops us doing science very successfully in terms of models by invoking an artificial separation of subject and object, but it does focus attention on what we think science can tell us about the underlying nature that this artificial separation takes place in (regardless of how one interprets this underlying nature, be it an interaction by us with mind independent reality or just one complete whole). My only real point in all of this is to clarify where scientific enquiry ends and philosophical enquiry begins in terms of discussing these questions - if indeed one thinks they are worth discussing. I do think they are worth discussing because I am interested in what the boundaries of science are since much of theoretical physics seems to think it can move in a direction that will uncover the underlying nature of the physical world as an entity independent of us.