Typically, an interesting answer to a philosophical question requires first recasting it in a falsifiable form, so that is becomes a natural science question, be it physics, cognitive sciences, AI research or something else. This is locally known as hacking away at the edges. Philosophical questions don't have philosophical answers.
You seem to be assuming that a "philosophical answer" is fundamentally different in form from an answer in physics, cognitive science or AI research. But, as Carroll says in his post, "at its best, the practice of philosophy of physics is continuous with the practice of physics itself". There is no sharp distinction between the ways in which physicists and philosophers of physics approach foundational questions in physics. As an example, Carroll's recent paper on self-locating belief and MWI is based on ideas that are heavily pre-figured in the philosophical literature.
Many philosophers, especially philosophers of science, are currently engaged in precisely the sort of "hacking away at the edges" problem-solving you endorse. Perhaps you don't see this as a distinctively "philosophical" mode of problem-solving, but that's a semantic quibble. The fact is that plenty of people who self-identify as philosophers are engaged in it, and that is a reason to talk to certain people who self-identify as philosophers.
There is no sharp distinction between the ways in which physicists and philosophers of physics approach foundational questions in physics. As an example, Carroll's recent paper on self-locating belief and MWI is based on ideas that are heavily pre-figured in the philosophical literature.
I am extremely skeptical about this topic, actually, because there is no way to test it out as I can see, without twisting the definition of testing beyond recognition. Carroll is all like "we derive the Born rule from these reasonable assumptions, therefore MWI&quo...
Why Talk to Philosophers? Part I. by philosopher of science Wayne Myrvold.
See also Sean Carroll's own blog entry, Physicists Should Stop Saying Silly Things about Philosophy.
Sean classifies the disparaging comments physicists make about philosophy as follows: "Roughly speaking, physicists tend to have three different kinds of lazy critiques of philosophy: one that is totally dopey, one that is frustratingly annoying, and one that is deeply depressing". Specifically:
He counters each argument presented.
Personally, I am underwhelmed, since he does not address the point of view that philosophy is great at asking interesting questions but lousy at answering them. Typically, an interesting answer to a philosophical question requires first recasting it in a falsifiable form, so that is becomes a natural science question, be it physics, cognitive sciences, AI research or something else. This is locally known as hacking away at the edges. Philosophical questions don't have philosophical answers.