So let me try to understand what you're saying here, and correct me if I'm wrong.
Is this a mischaracterization of a subset of your claim: "Scientists do not care if their models are truthful, but they do care that their models are useful."?
Is this a mischaracterization of a subset of your claim: "Scientists do not care if their models are truthful, but they do care that their models are useful."?
Truth is a philosophical notion. It is not the concern of science.
I am aligned with model-dependent realism; or epistemic constructivism or thereabouts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model-dependent_realism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(philosophy_of_...
I don’t have confidence IN my beliefs. I have confidence in the usefulness of my mental toolbox.
On a scale of 0 to 100 how confident are you in your belief of this science?
The Ptolemaic/geocentric models still work, even if the mathematics are a bit unwieldy.