First Principles Thinking Manual: How to Generate Innovative Solutions to Today's Societal Challenges - Softcover

Verkerk, Alexander; Grass, Kacper

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9090383921 ISBN 13: 9789090383927

Publisher: Factory for Innovative Policy Solutions, 2024

Synopsis

First Principles Thinking (FPT) is a process to come up with new solutions and approaches by way of reverse-engineering societal challenges. It encourages you to critically question your assumptions about the challenge and break it down into basic components, after which you ask more critical questions that will surely inspire new ideas.

The fundamentals of FPT originate from Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who used reason to make sense of the world. FPT has been further developed throughout the years, and is nowadays still being practised to innovate and solve problems, for example by Lee Kuan Yew, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

However, contemporary works on FPT have not gone much further than simply listing a few action steps, which leaves much open to the intuition and interpretation of the applicant. For those who would like some more guidance, the First Principles Thinking Manual outlines a 7-step process, additional insights and examples. In doing so, the manual also demonstratively applies each step to the challenge of ensuring sufficient access to fresh water for residents of Cape Town, after which it invites readers to do the same for their own challenge.

Anyone can be a first principles thinker: students and professors, scientists and scholars, policymakers and philosophers as well as entrepreneurs or professionals from all fields and walks of life. All that is necessary is a passion for a problem to be tackled, an open and inquisitive mindset and the dedication to commit until innovative solutions are produced. If you believe that these qualities describe you, then we invite you to begin your journey to become a first principles thinker.

PART 1 - INTRODUCTION
1.1. The history and development of first principles thinking
1.2. Famous first principles thinkers
1.3. Common traits of first principles thinkers
1.4. When to use first principles thinking
1.5. What are societal challenges?

PART 2 - FIRST PRINCIPLES THINKING IN STEPS
2.1. Step I: Identify your objective
2.2. Step II: List the obstacles
2.3. Step III: Question your assumptions
2.4. Step IV: Uncover some first principles
2.5. Step V: Come up with new ideas
2.6. Step VI: Refine your ideas (optional)
2.7. Step VII: Select your solutions (optional)

PART 3 - FIRST PRINCIPLES THINKING COMPARED TO OTHER APPROACHES
3.1. Analogical thinking
3.2. Analytical thinking
3.3. Design thinking
3.4. Lateral thinking
3.5. Computational thinking
3.6. Moonshot thinking
3.7. Hypothesis-based thinking
3.8. First principles in abductive, deductive and inductive reasoning

PART 4 - APPLICATIONS OF FIRST PRINCIPLES THINKING
4.1. Individual level
4.2. Organisational level
4.3. Community level
4.4. Societal level
4.5. Research and education
4.6. First principles thinking in a team

PART 5 - FINAL REMARKS
5.1. Main lessons
5.2. Limitations (and how to deal with them)
5.3. Send us your feedback

PART 6 - ANNEXES
6.1. Key terms
6.2. Worksheets to apply steps 1-7 of first principles thinking
6.3. Summary overview of different approaches to problem-solving

PART 7 - REFERENCES

Readers' testimonials:

• The manual provides a clear framework to practice FPT. The case-study as an example was super helpful.
• One of the things I love about the manual is the fact that it compiles research papers from different writers and thinkers using FPT.
• It feels like you can apply FPT to all sorts of issues.

Edition details

• Publisher: Factory for Innovative Policy Solutions
• Publication date: 2024
• ISBN 10: 9090383921
• ISBN 13: 9789090383927
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 121