IMHO I don't think we should have faith above all, but honesty. For me honesty is a higher virtue than faith, because if you have faith you do not need to justify it, it is dogmatic, while if you have honesty above all, you will need to justify all your actions and conclusions in life.
I see your point. However, honesty is a virtue that is revealed in context, i.e. in dealings with others. Faith, however, is a virtue that, I contend, provides an impetus to moving forward in life, whether one is dealing with others, or whether one is all alone (literally or figuratively). Certainly, the notion of faith today is overused and limited simply to holding a staunch belief. This is not what I mean by faith.
For me, there has to be purpose, meaning, and direction for life to be worth living. Thus, for me, the overarching (spiritual) element (or the consciousness behind it) that creates this virtual context that ties the events life together such that it unfolds in a meaningful way is what I call faith.
I see your point, but if you put your faith above intelectual honesty, you will never be able change your ideas if confronted with some evidence that contradicts what you believe, or what you prefer to believe.
I'm a scientist myself. I see your point as well. I am not one who clings to faith as a panacea when reality presents me with something uncomfortable. Even in our discover of newness, or, in the midst of difficult personal challenges, there still needs to be a context of meaning and purpose to one's life.
Historically, organized religion has pushed faith to discredit discovery, if for nothing else than to keep people ignorant, and thus, controllable. But, even the most free and open-minded truth seeker will, at some point, need to find purpose in his discoveries, an in his life in general. This is what I consider faith. I do not subscribe to its overused (and abused) connotation in traditional religious context (i.e. as a simple, staunchly held, watered down belief).
I agree with you, if by faith you mean "a hypotheses that I prefer to believe in", and never try to acquire or hold certainties that comes from faith.