Renewed after 3 years, so I've just spotted Steve's response:
From: Steve Shaw - PM
Date: 02 Nov 14 - 09:09 PM

Well, Nigel, the scientific method does not deal in certainties, ever (we tend to leave that approach to religion). Those little caveats you point to are not attempts at arse-covering. They are what science always does. You misread, I'm afraid.

"Scientific method does not deal in certainties". I though scientific method was intended to start with theories, and proceed to proofs. If something is proven, then it is a certainty. If not it's just a theory.

Of the two of us I feel it is the soi disant scientist who doesn't understand scientific method.