I think that ordering is a modern science vs early science distinction. Most of the early principles of gravity, motion, electricity, and magnetism were observ

I think that ordering is a modern science vs early science distinction. Most of the early principles of gravity, motion, electricity, and magnetism were observed and experimentally tested before having a basis to evaluate them. Heck, even quantum mechanics was (and arguably, still is, in un-unified form) experimentally characterized before an explanation (see: double-slit results).