while tackling with principles, and trying to nail down abstract conception of principle into more concrete and actionable terms, I have found a useful book from walter watson (thanks to dick), and here is a nice quote describing the “functioning” principle of principles.

every text is not only an argument by an author about a subject matter, it is also for the sake of some end or purpose or function…An end or purpose or function is present in the text so far as the text has within it something that causes it to function, a principle of its functioning. such internal principles functioning can be called principles in a distinctive sense…a principle can be either relatively or absolutely first; that is, it can cause functioning, and itself be caused, or it can be an uncaused cause of a functioning, a first principle. God, if He is a principle at all, is ordinarily first principle…there may be an ordered set of actions, but unless, there is some reason for action the text cannot function as an ethics. or imagine a tragedy that lacks any engagement of feeling. there may be an ordered sequence of actions and events, but without feeling the text cannot function as a tragedy…(architectonics of meaning, p.101, walter watson,)