[longshadow]

Without a model, all that is left for the scientist to do is to wander around, willy-nilly, and gather data. "Science" in such a world would look something like the contents of my father's garage -- a bunch of stuff accumulated over the years, of value to no one.

I think this is precisely what "RightWingProfessor" had in mind when he stated in several threads that biology, in the absence of a central organizing principle such as the Theory of Evolution, amounts to not much more than an exaggereated version of bird-watching: "Hey! look; it's one of those!" And "Ooooo; there's one of them...." This is, as you have correctly characterized it, the intellectual equivalent to cataloging the junk you collect in the garage or attic.

[PatrickHenry]

... the intellectual equivalent to cataloging the junk you collect in the garage or attic.

Now that I think about my father's garage, I recall that he was also a creationist. We didn't discuss such issues all that much.