George,
Men and women are about than 2% genetically different--but it's a really
important 2%! Similarly, some people love apples and hate oranges and vice
versa.
I believe that you are making a real contribution to the 'Science of
Chess Variant Design' while denigrating the 'Art of Chess Variant
Design'.
I think we need both.
Preferences and not the be all and end all of design, but neither are they
irrelevant--what is the point of designing a 'mathematically perfect' CV
that no one wants to play? And aren't clarity/depth and
drama/decisiveness important precisely because they speak to game
players' preferences?