First Principles

How to implement

Identify Assumptions
Recognize and question any assumptions you are currently making about the problem, situation, or existing solutions.

Break Down to Fundamentals
Deconstruct the problem or concept into its most basic, irreducible truths or facts. Ask “why?” repeatedly to get to the core principles.

Reason Up from Fundamentals
Starting with these fundamental truths, build new solutions and approaches from the ground up, without being constrained by conventional wisdom or existing methods.

Example

Let’s use First Principles to think about personal transportation.

Identify Assumptions:
We might assume that personal transportation requires owning a gasoline-powered car.

Break Down to Fundamentals:
What is the fundamental need? To move people from one place to another.

What are the fundamental components required for that? A way to move (wheels, propulsion), energy source, and a path.

Reason Up from Fundamentals:
Instead of just improving gasoline cars, we can explore other energy sources (electric, solar), different modes of movement (scooters, bikes, autonomous pods), and optimized routing systems.

This fundamental approach opens up possibilities beyond the traditional car ownership model.