How did Edwin Hubble characterize his own scientific role when discussing the interpretation of expanding universe observations?

He identified himself as an observer committed to empirical resources over speculation.

Hubble maintained a high degree of scientific integrity by distinguishing his role as an empirical observer from that of a theorist. He famously asserted that the 'search will continue. Not until the empirical resources are exhausted, need we pass on to the dreamy realms of speculation.' This commitment meant that even when his observations pointed toward a radical conclusion like an expanding universe—a concept that even conflicted with his own prior expectations and led him to report seeming non-uniformities later on—he prioritized presenting the evidence gathered directly from the telescope. While he sometimes referred to recessional speeds as *apparent* velocities, reserving judgment on the ultimate interpretation, his core strength remained the hard observational proof.