First Principles Thinking

A systematic approach to decomposing complex problems into irreducible truths and reasoning upward from there — avoiding the trap of reasoning by analogy, convention, or "best practice".

When to Use

• Evaluating whether an architecture, design, or strategy is truly optimal
• Questioning "best practices" that may not fit the current context
• Breaking through when conventional solutions feel inadequate
• Making foundational decisions with long-term impact
• Challenging inherited assumptions in legacy systems or legacy thinking
• Any moment where "we've always done it this way" is the primary justification

When NOT to Use

• Trivial decisions (use Occam's Razor instead — just pick the simplest)
• Time-critical emergencies (act first, analyze later)
• Well-validated problems with proven solutions (don't reinvent the wheel)
• When you lack domain expertise AND can't acquire it (first principles without knowledge = naive solutions)