Economist today consider themselves as scientist because

Endeavors that use "science" in their titles tend to be those that get masses of people emotionally involved and in which crackpots seem to have some purchase on public opinion. These fields have "science" in their names to distinguish them from their disreputable cousins.

Economic sciences seeks establishing a formal methodology and results , experimentation and reasoning according to general scientific method

Explanation:

As economists are also social scientists, they study the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. Therefore their focus on behaviour and interactions also have  a social component. Of course this means combining quantitative and qualitative models.

The criticism that economics fall short of science is based on reasons that include the lack of consensus that exists among ecnomists and the added ideological values that ar inherent to any economic and political system.

Still economics drive technology in pursuing better productivity and growth, at least in material terms. The high collateral costs can be criticized then. The effects on society in a global scale and on the climate could be therefore strongly added to the economical calculations.

where is the

opinion because one person might not like silk