Maybe I missed this and, if so, I apologize: what exactly is the purpose of the Pathfinder RPG? Is it intended to be a set of fantasy roleplaying rules, based on the v.3.5 SRD, for gaming in Golarion or is it intended to be a new baseline set of fantasy roleplaying rules for playing in any setting?
I ask because I think the Pathfinder RPG might limit its audience if it looks too much like a mere adjunct to the Pathfinder adventure paths. That's not to say I don't think there should be Golarion flavor in the rulebook, but I'd recommend that it be more like the "Greyhawk" flavor of core v.3.5, with Golarion's deities being used as examples and so on. I think it'd be wise to draw a connection between the Golarion setting and the Pathfinder RPG. However, there may well be people who are interested in a "v.3.75" game who have no interest in Golarion and, since Paizo is likely the only company pursuing such an endeavor, I think it'd be smart to write the rulebook with this in mind.
But maybe this isn't Paizo's intention at all; I don't know. I think it'd be helpful if this question were answered, because it does have an impact on how many elements of the rules and their presentation play out.
Thanks.
*bump*
Would also be interested in an answer, because it has some influence over the development of rules...
So what will or should Pathfinder RPG become - a "houseruled Golarion 3.51" (sorry no better term for that) or a campaign-independent system which solidly based on SRD and fixes "essential" things (let's call it true 3.75)...
As an example: IMHO, I would leave the racial ability adjustments as they are if the goal is to make a "true 3.75" version. As it is now, those additional ability adjustment changes from Alpha 1 seem to be Golarion-specific...