Also called ‘reasoning from first principles,’ First Principles Thinking involves breaking down complicated problems into basic elements and then reassemble them from the ground up. It is a powerful technique for facilitating reverse engineering, unlocking creative potential, and moving from linear to non-linear results. Used by the philosopher Aristotle, First Principles Thinking is now an approach […]

Also called ‘reasoning from first principles,’ First Principles Thinking involves breaking down complicated problems into basic elements and then reassemble them from the ground up. It is a powerful technique for facilitating reverse engineering, unlocking creative potential, and moving from linear to non-linear results.Used by the philosopher Aristotle, First Principles Thinking is now an approach used by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and billionaire investor Charlie Munger. It facilitates cutting through the fog of shoddy reasoning and inadequate analogies to see opportunities that others miss.I view First Principles Thinking as an essential approach for enabling innovation based on what is known rather than what others have suggested previously. It borrows heavily from the precise thinking required in physics.