See the roots of the words 'discipline' and 'science'. It is the engagement of activities which lead toward the understanding of the subject of effecting intentional variations in phenomena. It requires an understanding that the Scientific Method is here being defined directly as learning. However, the generality of that statement makes no specific connection to Magick. Magical disciplines study phenomena.
Magical disciplines are sciences.
My thanks to Todd Stark, Chris Burdhoff, Steve Belczyk, and Semhaza for their arguments and suggestions in arriving at this definition. The functions A, B and C must be engaged and learned previous to the search for knowledge. They must be learned and used to carry out TSM within any field. In Magick they may or may not be performed consciously. For example, in 'spontaneous ritual', the hypothesis is arrived at subconsciously in what is called a 'gestalt' through spontaneous, meaningful experience.