That is a good counter (and the only interesting one in this subthread for that matter).

My core point I think is "first principles or nothing", but, thinking about what you said, I could potentially be off there.

I might be lacking the connection to and understanding of academia and how research and work gets done there. Maybe it actually isn't possible to do this work that way.

I doubt it. Strongly. But this is a valid counterpoint. (Which I had to kinda come up with myself, but anyway)