[bumby]

I think the error in your thinking is the assumption that scientific discovery is predicated on previously defined theory.

Theory is required for understanding, not for discovery. They are two different things. What gets a lot of scientists and statisticians worked up is how ML can outperform traditional models without always being interpretable. It’s like claiming the Wright brothers couldn’t build a flying machine without having a thorough understanding of the mechanics of flight. I can improve performance of my car by remapping the fuel without necessarily understanding the nuances of optimizing enthalpy. There’s levels of understanding, and they may not correlate completely to effectiveness. To that extent, it’s more engineering than science