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I fundamentally disagree with your general point but agree that the sampler poses an interesting problem in terms of its status as a musical instrument. It's not something people 'play', as they would a piano or guitar, but programme. Whether that makes any real difference, though, I'm not sure; you're still effectively processing and creating sounds to be used in a musical way, only not in real time. It's the same question for drum machines compared with regular drums. Is a person who programmes patterns into a drum machine any less a musician than a person sitting playing a kit? The dictionary definition of a musician is someone who composes, conducts or performs music. A person solely using step-time instruments may arguably not be performing but they're certainly composing - as well as creating.
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