Unlock Your Problem-Solving Superpower: Master First Principles Thinking

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Think about the times when you had a problem to solve. You felt sure you could figure it out, but you were wrong. You thought something would work because it looked similar, but then you found out it didn't.

This is you reasoning by analogy. You take inspiration from similar events or examples of what other people are doing or have done in the past. You rush to act with a very shallow understanding of the problem, and when you fail, you can't identify the root cause.

Now, here is a question: If reasoning by analogy is a poor way of solving problems, what technique should you use instead?

In this article, we'll learn a powerful approach used by Elon Musk, Richard Feynman, Charlie Munger, Aristotle, and other exceptional thinkers.

First Principles Thinking

The idea behind the first principles is simple: break down complicated problems into fundamental building blocks and then reason your way from the ground up. The goal is to uncover the absolute truths and reduce your reliance on assumptions.

Aristotle, writing[1] on first principles, said:

In every systematic inquiry (methodos) where there are first principles, or causes, or elements, knowledge and science result from acquiring knowledge of these; for we think we know something just in case we acquire knowledge of the primary causes, the primary first principles, all the way to the elements.

Later he connected the idea to knowledge, defining first principles as “the first basis from which a thing is known.”[2]

Here's an example: Think of a chef and a cook as two kinds of kitchen wizards.

The chef is like a magician. They don't need a recipe because they understand the secrets of flavors and ingredients. They can look what's in the fridge and create a mouthwatering masterpiece. It's like they have a superpower for cooking.

Now, picture the cook. They can cook too, but they rely on recipes. Give them a step-by-step guide, and they can whip up a tasty dish. But take away that recipe, and they might be lost.

So, what's the big difference? It's all about understanding. The chef knows why adding a pinch of salt makes a dish pop, and they can create new recipes on the fly. But the cook might struggle without that recipe because they haven't grasped the "why" behind each step.

Now, in life, who would you rather be: Chef or the Cook?

How can we use first-principles in real life?

Socratic questioning

A method that helps you explore and understand ideas and beliefs better by asking open-ended questions. You can use it in everyday life like this:

  • Ask Open Questions: Instead of yes-or-no questions, ask questions that make people think, like "Why do you believe that?" or "What could happen if we do this?"
  • Get Clear Definitions: If something is unclear, ask for a clear explanation. For example, "What do you mean by 'success' in this situation?"
  • Challenge Assumptions: Ask why people believe what they do. For example, "Why do you think this is true?"
  • Think About Consequences: Ask about the results of decisions. For example, "What might happen if we choose this path?"
  • See Different Views: Encourage considering other perspectives. Ask, "How might someone else see this?"
  • Ask for Evidence: When someone makes a claim, ask for proof. For example, "What facts support that?"
  • Reflect on Thinking: Encourage self-reflection by asking, "Why did you come to that conclusion?"

Using Socratic questioning helps you think more deeply and understand things better in your everyday conversations and decisions.

Five Whys

is a problem-solving technique where you repeatedly ask "Why?" to uncover the root cause of an issue. Here's how to use it in real life:

  • Identify the Problem: Start with a problem you want to solve.
  • Ask "Why?" Once: Ask why the problem happened. Get the first reason.
  • Ask "Why?" Again: Take that first reason and ask why it happened. Get the second reason.
  • Repeat "Why?" Three More Times: Keep asking "Why?" and getting reasons until you've asked five times.
  • Find the Root Cause: Usually, after five "Whys," you'll uncover the real root cause of the problem.

For example, if your car won't start:

  1. Problem: Car won't start.
  2. Why? - The battery is dead.
  3. Why? - The alternator is not charging the battery.
  4. Why? - The alternator belt is broken.
  5. Why? - The belt was old and not replaced on time.

The root cause is the old belt not being replaced, which led to the other issues.

Here's a real example of how Elon Musk used first-principles at SpaceX.

[2]In an interview with Kevin Rose, Musk summarized his approach:

I think it’s important to reason from first principles rather than by analogy. So the normal way we conduct our lives is, we reason by analogy. We are doing this because it’s like something else that was done, or it is like what other people are doing… with slight iterations on a theme. And it’s … mentally easier to reason by analogy rather than from first principles. First principles is kind of a physics way of looking at the world, and what that really means is, you … boil things down to the most fundamental truths and say, “okay, what are we sure is true?” … and then reason up from there. That takes a lot more mental energy.[7]

Musk then gave an example of how Space X uses first principles to innovate at low prices:

Somebody could say — and in fact people do — that battery packs are really expensive and that’s just the way they will always be because that’s the way they have been in the past. … Well, no, that’s pretty dumb… Because if you applied that reasoning to anything new, then you wouldn’t be able to ever get to that new thing…. you can’t say, … “oh, nobody wants a car because horses are great, and we’re used to them and they can eat grass and there’s lots of grass all over the place and … there’s no gasoline that people can buy….”

He then gives a fascinating example about battery packs:

… they would say, “historically, it costs $600 per kilowatt-hour. And so it’s not going to be much better than that in the future. … So the first principles would be, … what are the material constituents of the batteries? What is the spot market value of the material constituents? … It’s got cobalt, nickel, aluminum, carbon, and some polymers for separation, and a steel can. So break that down on a material basis; if we bought that on a London Metal Exchange, what would each of these things cost? Oh, jeez, it’s … $80 per kilowatt-hour. So, clearly, you just need to think of clever ways to take those materials and combine them into the shape of a battery cell, and you can have batteries that are much, much cheaper than anyone realizes.

Conclusion

So, what's the big takeaway here? It's about thinking differently. Instead of copying what's been done before or just going with the flow, try thinking from the ground up, like Elon Musk does.

Break problems into tiny building blocks, question everything, and get to the core of what's true. You can also use tools like Socratic questioning and the Five Whys in your everyday life to dive deeper into problems and find real solutions.

Remember, understanding why things work is more powerful than just following the recipe. So, whether you're cooking up a storm or tackling life's challenges, embrace first principles thinking, and you'll find yourself on a path to real innovation and deeper understanding.

Good luck.

Til next time.
Raheel.

[1] Aristotle, Physics 184a10–21

[2] fs.blog