What is First Principles Thinking?

First principles thinking is another way of saying "think like a scientist". It involves?breaking down complex problems into their most basic, fundamental elements -those that are known to be true—and then building up solutions from there.

Here's why we can compare it to?how scientists work:

• Scientists don’t assume anything.?
• Scientists question?their own and all other assumptions until they get to the first principles - and then build up from there.
• Scientists deconstruct, then reconstruct.??

Similarly, in biomimicry, we analyse the underlying mechanisms, systems or processes of a living organism, and create solutions based on that.? For instance, instead of simply copying the shape of a leaf, practitioners might examine how its structure optimises for the process of photosynthesis.

First Principles Thinking vs. Thinking by Analogy

Tim Urban?says?in this article?that the contrast between first principles reasoning and analogical reasoning is similar to the distinction between a chef and a cook.

A chef creates new recipes from scratch. They understand the basic ingredients (the "foundational truths") and how to blend them in innovative ways.

In contrast, a cook follows established recipes to replicate something that already exists and without the recipe, they can't create their dish.?

So, when starting your next project or design, dive deeper to discover the parts that make up the whole.

To get more newsletters like this, you can also sign up to get the Living Loop in your inbox, every Saturday!