First Principles

🧠 What is First Principles Thinking?

First Principles Thinking is a mental model:

• Professional definition: Reduce problems to their most basic, indivisible truths, then rebuild solutions from these truths.
• Simple explanation: Like LEGO — break a problem into the smallest bricks, then reassemble them to create a brand-new answer.

🧪 Origin & Key Figures

• Origin: Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle first introduced the concept of “first principles.”
• Key figures:
  • 🚀 Elon Musk: Applied first principles to rockets, EVs, and batteries.
  • 💡 Peter Thiel: In Zero to One, he emphasized building from scratch instead of copying others.
• Examples:
  • SpaceX: Musk discovered raw materials cost far less than buying rockets → built rockets in-house → cut costs dramatically.
  • Tesla: Rebuilt the logic of batteries, overturning the belief that EVs are expensive and impractical.

🛠 How to Use First Principles Thinking

Think of it as a 3-step method:

1. 🔍 Break down → Identify basic truths
   • Ask: “What are the fundamental parts of this problem?”
   • Don’t accept industry conventions blindly.
2. ❓ Challenge assumptions → Question the obvious
   • Validate each element: “Is this always true?”
   • Spot false assumptions, look for hidden opportunities.
3. 🔧 Rebuild → Create innovative solutions
   • Use verified truths to design new approaches.
   • This is how disruptive innovation happens.

📚 Case Studies

• Case 1 (Business): SpaceX Rocket
  • Traditional logic: Rockets are too expensive → only NASA or Boeing can do it.
  • First Principles: Rocket = metal + fuel + electronics → raw cost 90% cheaper → build rockets from scratch.

    Insight: Challenge cost structures to disrupt industries.

• Case 2 (Everyday Life): Weight Loss
  • Traditional logic: Losing weight = dieting + running.
  • First Principles: Weight loss = energy out > energy in → focus on diet composition + strength training.

    Insight: Don’t blindly copy others; find efficient methods.

• Case 3 (History): Newton’s Physics Revolution
  • Old belief: “Objects move only when pushed” (Aristotle).
  • Newton re-examined nature → formulated three laws of motion → modern physics was born.

    Insight: Paradigm shifts come from rebuilding logic at the core.

🌟 Pros & Cons

Pros

• Breaks mental inertia
• Enables disruptive innovation
• Encourages cross-disciplinary thinking

Cons

• Requires strong logic and knowledge base
• Time-consuming, not for quick decisions
• Limited value in intuition-driven fields (e.g., art)

💬 FAQs

1. How is it different from analogy thinking?
   • First Principles: Rebuild from scratch, based on facts
   • Analogy: Copy or compare with existing patterns
2. Is it suitable for all problems?
   • No. Works best in rational/analytical domains, less in aesthetics/intuition-based fields.
3. How can I practice it?
   • Keep asking: “Why must it be this way?”
   • Try deconstructing daily problems and rebuilding solutions.

🎯 Applicable Scenarios

• Work: strategy, cost optimization, product design
• Study: cross-disciplinary learning, knowledge mastery
• Life: health management, decision-making, habit building

📖 Recommended Resources

• Zero to One — Peter Thiel
• Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman
• Elon Musk interviews (esp. SpaceX, Tesla parts)

🔗 Related Methods

• Reverse Thinking
• 5 Whys Method
• Systems Thinking

🧭 One-sentence Summary

First Principles Thinking is the mental weapon for “breaking the rules and building from zero.”