I also concur. Computational modeling should be viewed as part of hypothesis formation. Similar to mathematical manipulation, it is a precursor to experimentation. Computational models are too often presented as evidence of a physical theory, instead of a prediction in need of experimental support. We see this in every field; social network theory, epidemiology, environmentalism, even papers in combinatorial optimization!

Interestingly, perhaps the field that most strongly holds to the view that models need testing is weapons research.