I’m a fan of “computer science” but not the term itself. I generally divide the field into three more legit fields: math, science, and programming (aka computer enginnering?).

Math is math. Computational math precedes actual computers. Turing, Godel, and pals were overly doing math when they invented computers.

Science is science. It involves research, theories, experiments, evidence, etc. People do science when they research new materials and methods for making computers.

Programming is programming. It’s when someone sits down at a computer and programs it.

I don’t believe in “AI”, but the purported technologies are a mixture of all three. The math is very basic. The science has allowed the increases in storage and computation. And then people have written programs.

I doesn’t seem like a mystery to me. This is how almost every field works. People in math do theory. People in science do research. People in engineering/programming use these results to create applications - whether it’s a computer program, a physical bridge, chemical engineering, etc.

TL;DR: There’s computer math, computer science, and computer engineering. (or equivalent terms)…

(I’m tempted to further divide the engineering between engineering programs and engineering physical computer parts. The line between science and engineering is somewhat gray for me.)

Any subject, like political science or social science, that includes the word science in its name is probably trying to convince itself as much as you.