When our social institutions evolved to the point where asking such a question wasn’t as quite as painful or harmful to one’s health, science, in the sense that we use today, began to blossom. And it bloomed because of its explanatory power, its predictive power. If you combine A, B, and C – bingo! – you get D. And no one had ever seen, heard or thought of D before!
But at least he wasn't a complete idiot.
Yes, the idea that you can model nature without angels pushing the stars around was a useful advance. No, I don't think we've gone too far with it.