>> Elucidating confounding variables and controlling for them is the entire fucking job of a scientist.

No. This is methodology. The job of a scientist is to advance scientific knowledge. This is as vague as it needs to be.

Popper didn't do science. He did philosophy. He also did a fine job of formalising methods, and abstracting the methods scientists were using into a Scientific Method. This scientific method is a great achievement and a wonderful, multipurpose probe. That does not mean it fits in all orifices. The job of a scientist is not to continue hammering until the probe fits.