Statistical models have repeatedly shown themselves to be the most productive research method for working with complex human-based systems (and in the larger study of natural phenomena). It remains unclear whether there is any short term path for symbolic methods to catch up and exceed the capabilities of current/near-future statistical systems.

To me the real question begins only once we have a clear example of a non-trivial scientific discovery that is implicit (IE, not an obvious outcome of reading the literature and talking to the experts) and experimentally verifiable. Once that happens- especially if it is a reproducible process (IE, more discoveries) and it's significant (IE, impacts human life and mind in some profound way)- then the onus very much lies on Bender and her coauthors to explain whether we need more than a sufficiently advanced stochastic parrot.