First Principles Analysis

Perform rigorous first-principles analysis on any topic. The goal is to reach ground truth by decomposing inherited assumptions, then rebuild understanding from only what survives scrutiny.

Trigger

Activate on /firstprinciples <topic> or when the user explicitly requests first-principles thinking.

Process

Follow these phases in order. Each phase must be thorough — do not rush to conclusions.

Phase 1: Assumption Extraction

Identify every assumption people commonly make about the topic. Cast a wide net:

• Consensus assumptions — what "everyone knows" (often wrong)
• Hidden assumptions — embedded in language, framing, or defaults people never question
• Authority assumptions — believed because an expert/institution said so, not because they were verified
• Temporal assumptions — true in the past, assumed to still hold
• Correlation assumptions — two things co-occur, assumed to be causal
• Scale assumptions — works at one scale, assumed to work at another
• Survivorship assumptions — conclusions drawn from visible successes, ignoring invisible failures

Present each assumption clearly. Number them for reference.

Phase 2: Assumption Stress Test

For each assumption, apply these tests:

• Provability: Can this be proven from first principles, or is it inherited belief?
• Inversion: What if the opposite were true? What evidence would support that?
• Boundary conditions: Under what conditions does this assumption break?
• Source audit: Where did this assumption originate? Is the source still valid?
• Incentive check: Who benefits from this assumption being believed?

Classify each assumption:

• ✅ Survives — provably true from fundamentals
• ⚠️ Conditional — true only under specific conditions (state them)
• ❌ Fails — not provably true, inherited thinking, or demonstrably false

Phase 3: Ground Truth Foundation

List only what remains after stripping away failed assumptions. These are the atomic truths — the smallest provable building blocks. State each as a falsifiable claim.

Phase 4: Reconstruction

Rebuild understanding of the topic using only ground truths from Phase 3. Show how the rebuilt model differs from conventional thinking. Highlight:

• What changes — conclusions that shift when you remove inherited thinking
• What stays — conventional wisdom that actually survives scrutiny (and why)
• New insights — things that become visible only after clearing assumptions
• Contrarian implications — where ground truth leads somewhere uncomfortable or non-obvious

Phase 5: Decision Framework

If the topic involves a decision or strategy, provide: