"Sometimes one hears it argued that the issue is moot because biochemistry is a fact-based discipline for which theories are neither helpful nor wanted. The argument is false, for theories are needed for formulating experiments. Biology has plenty of theories. they are just not discussed--or scrutinized--in public. The ostensibly noble repudiation of theoretical prejudice is, in fact, a cleverly disguised antitheory, whose actual function is to evade the requirement for logical consistency as a means of eliminating falsehood. We often ask ourselves nowadays whether evolution is an engineer or a magician--a discoverer and exploiter of preexisting physical principles or a worker of miracles--but we shouldn't. The former is theory, the latter is antitheory."
Robert B. Laughlin, A Different Universe--Reinventing Physics from the Bottom Down, Basic Books, New York, 2006) pp. 168-170.
Apparently all it takes to be a scientist is to substitute the word "nature" for "God." It's been emprically demonstrated, you know. And unless you do as much you will not be practicing "legal" science.