I know that you want to run farms to support specialists. Still do you cottage some cities to help out with science and income?

I do.

Generally I'll concentrate my specialists on just one aspect of my economy, science, gold, or culture. I'll use cottages in a few cities to boost the other aspects.

That, and the bureacracy commerce bonus is usually too good to pass on.

Yes. I don't think philosophical in any way pigeonholes you into using a SE.

I always cottage with any Philosophical leader.

Usually I'll build a few cottages at first, before I have any libraries. Then I'll build a lot more later once I get emancipation and the great people start getting too expensive.

I never cottage :p

I usually run an SE regardless of the traits. Only exception is if I draw financial and have rivers around, then it seems like a waste not to cottage.

Though, I either play random or Greeks. Random is fun now and again, and I've been playing Greeks since Civ2. I usually play them. The traits and stuff for Civ4 don't really factor into the decision either. I kind of lucked out though, since when the game first came out I was new to the whole specialists business (along with everyone else). As it happens, the SE grew on me, and Alexander (and later Pericles) happen to be Philosophical. So it worked out that my favorite civ happens to suit my favorite playstyle.

Excuse the tangent.
:king:

Always cottage, when you get your slider up it makes more sense and pays off. Of course you always want a gp farm regardless.

I never cottage :p

I never plat Philosophical :P

Only if I'm elizabeth, though I frequently am.

As Liz I get financial and Philo so I normally do a hybrid I guess.
Though I think this is because I'm new to CE/SE so I just play and don't play either.

I play SE initially, however I normally change over to cottages when the growth rate is increased, only keeping a single SE city to pump out the specialists.