I mostly agree with you're saying, but your definition of scientist covers researchers and theoreticians. My dad has called himself a scientist, even though he's a only surgeon and a diagnostician. Day-by-day, he doesn't think of himself as a scientist, but if cornered, he would. He has had to defend evolutionary biology and global warming science with his conservative family, and even among his fellow doctors. When you and I (and most of the world) think of scientists, we don't think of dentists or inventors or philosophers, but if they identify as such, their opinions should be filtered through the lens of appropriate inquiry. But, I'm not going to ask famous biologist Richard Dawkins for his opinion on quantum entanglement, any sooner than I would ask Jerry Seinfeld to perform a root canal.