Instrumentalist reasoning can't say what it's for.

It has no value system.

It can optimize a thing, but it can't tell you why.

It is a means, not an end.

A powerful, very useful means!

The values have to come from outside of instrumentalist reasoning.

It's easy to fall in an optimizer trap.

"We should apply instrumentalist reasoning to optimize that thing"

But that begs the question of, "to what end"?

Work with people who have a perspective, who believe something beyond just "we should apply instrumentalist reasoning".