What Are First Principles?

What Are First Principles?

First principles are the most basic, foundational elements of any problem or concept. They are the core truths that cannot be broken down further. When you understand these fundamental truths, you can build solutions and strategies from the ground up with clarity and logic, avoiding the pitfalls of assumptions or surface-level thinking.

Reasoning from first principles is the process of stripping away all preconceived notions and reducing a problem to its simplest form, allowing us to rethink and innovate based on what is undeniably true.

The concept of first principles dates back to ancient philosophy, particularly with Aristotle, who used it to understand the fundamental nature of things. In modern times, it has been championed by physicist Richard Feynman, who emphasized the importance of breaking down complex ideas into their simplest components in order to deeply understand and solve problems. Innovators like Elon Musk have further popularized the method, applying it in industries such as aerospace and electric vehicles to challenge conventions and unlock new possibilities.

Why First Principles Matter

In many cases, people approach personal development and problem-solving by reasoning by analogy—relying on past experiences, common advice, or conventional wisdom. While this can sometimes be helpful, it often leads to error because it involves inherited assumptions or limitations that may not apply to your unique circumstances.

For example, in personal development, people might assume that achieving success requires following popular trends or adopting the same strategies that worked for someone else—whether it’s a specific morning routine or a highly structured productivity method. This kind of reasoning by analogy can trap individuals in conventional thinking, limiting their ability to make real, lasting change in their own lives.

In contrast, reasoning from first principles forces you to ask and understand:
What are the principles that actually make their success possible, and how can we build on them to be appropriate for our growth?

How We Apply First Principles at Co-x3

At Co-x3, first principles are not just a theoretical concept—they are the foundation of every program we create and support. We believe that when you build on fundamentals, you don’t need to memorize complicated techniques or strategies. Instead, the principles are naturally integrated into the tools and resources, ensuring that meaningful change happens as a byproduct of using them.

A simple way to understand this concept is by thinking about everyday tools, like a hammer. You don’t need to understand the physics behind how a hammer works to effectively drive a nail into a surface. The tool itself has been designed with precision, ensuring that it maximizes the energy from your hand and arm to get the job done efficiently.

By using a hammer, 80% of the population can solve the basic problem of driving a nail without needing to invent their own tool from scratch. The hammer is an optimal solution, built on research and first principles, so most people can use it confidently knowing it will work.

Now, for the remaining 20% of cases where the problem might be slightly different (perhaps they need to drive a different kind of nail into a unique material) understanding the first principles behind the hammer’s design makes it easier to adapt or create a new solution. By knowing how and why the hammer works, they can reason their way to an alternative, more customized approach.

The same applies to Co-x3’s programs. Whether you’re working on personal growth, habit-building, or improving well-being, you’re using resources designed from first principles that have already been proven to be effective. And for those unique challenges where a specific tweak might be needed, understanding these first principles empowers you to innovate and customize your approach.

First Principles vs. Reasoning by Analogy

So why is reasoning from first principles better? The main reason is that it frees you from constraints imposed by conventional wisdom, which is often filled with inaccuracies, assumptions, or outdated beliefs.

A common example can be found in the advice we receive from our parents. While they often share valuable life lessons, their situations were different—the world they grew up in was different. For example, career advice or strategies for success that worked for them decades ago may not be as effective today due to shifts in technology, economics, or social norms.

If we simply reason by analogy, we'd apply their solutions to our own lives without questioning the assumptions behind them. This can lead to frustration when their methods don’t work for us. However, if we reason from first principles, we can ask:

What are the fundamental truths behind their advice? What were they really trying to achieve, and how can we adapt that to today’s realities?

By doing this, we can extract the core truths and reframe them in ways that make sense for our unique situations today. This frees us from blindly following advice that may no longer be relevant and allows us to develop solutions that are more suited to our lives.

At Co-x3, we apply the same thinking to personal development. Instead of relying on conventional self-help trends or what "everyone else" is doing, we continuously seek to strip concepts down to their basic truths. This allows us to develop programs that are adaptable, relevant, and sustainable—customized to help you thrive in your unique circumstances, not someone else’s.

Benefits of First Principles Thinking

Here are some of the key advantages of reasoning from first principles and how it impacts the way we design our programs:

1. Clarity

By focusing on core truths, you eliminate distractions and zero in on what truly matters, leading to more purposeful and efficient growth.

2. Adaptability

Allows you to customize solutions that fit your specific life situation, rather than relying on generalized advice.

3. Sustainability

First principles free you from conventional thinking, encouraging creative problem-solving and allowing you to discover new, more effective approaches. that are timeless and consistent.

How To Get To First Principles

Finding first principles involves questioning the assumptions you hold about a problem and breaking it down to its core elements. Here’s how you can get started:

1. Identify the Problem

Clearly define the problem or challenge you are trying to solve. Be specific and ensure you’re addressing the real issue.

2. Question Assumptions

List out the assumptions you’re making about the problem. Are these based on personal experience, conventional wisdom, or inherited beliefs? Challenge each one by asking, "Is this really true?"

3. Break It Down

Keep asking “why” until you can’t break the problem down any further. For each layer of the issue, look for fundamental truths—elements that are indisputable.

4. Rebuild from the Ground Up

Once you’ve identified the first principles, use them to construct new solutions. Focus on building strategies that align with these core truths, discarding superficial or outdated methods.

5. Test and Refine

Apply your new solution in practice. First principles thinking doesn’t stop once you’ve found the fundamentals; it requires continuous iteration. Be open to refining your approach as you gain more insights.

When you come up with first principles, consider contributing to our repository! Your insights can help expand our collective understanding and enable others to build better, more personalized solutions.

References

1. What Are First Principles?(opens in a new tab) - An overview of first principles thinking from Farnam Street.
2. Aristotle’s First Principles(opens in a new tab) - A detailed account of Aristotle’s contribution to first principles thinking from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.