Individual skill
thinking-first-principles
When a constraint is treated as fixed, separate physics from convention, keep only independently supported primitives, and rebuild the simplest solution that satisfies real constraints.
skills/thinking-first-principles/SKILL.md
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- claude-code Repository topic
- critical-thinking Repository topic
- decision-making Repository topic
- first-principles Repository topic
- mental-models Repository topic
- problem-solving Repository topic
- systems-thinking Repository topic
- engineering Derived category
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# First Principles
Strip assumed constraints to independently supported primitives, then rebuild. Escape analogy when convention fails or looks artificially expensive.
## When to Use
- A constraint is treated as fixed ("too expensive," "impossible," "always done this way") without independent support.
- Convention or analogy has failed, stalled, or only yields weak incremental variants.
- Greenfield design where industry defaults may smuggle false requirements.
- Cost or feasibility claims rest on pricing, precedent, or authority rather than physics, math, or measured need.
## When NOT to Use
- The constraint is verified physics, hard regulation, or measured capacity → accept it and optimize within it.