What is the philosophical origin of "First Principles"?

Hello, when we talk about the philosophical origins of "First Principles," we need to rewind over two millennia, back to ancient Greece, to a figure named Aristotle.

He can be considered the progenitor who systematized and theorized this way of thinking.

To make it easier to understand, let's start with an analogy.

Imagine you're a child who loves to get to the bottom of things, constantly asking "why?" "Why is the sky blue?" "Because the atmosphere scatters sunlight." "Why does the atmosphere scatter light?" "Because there are various molecules in the air." "Why do molecules scatter light?" ... If you keep asking "why" in this process, until you reach an answer that cannot be questioned further, the most fundamental and basic answer – that answer is a "First Principle." It is the answer itself; you cannot explain it with anything else. It is the starting point for all other conclusions.

Aristotle, at the time, was pondering a question: Where does all our knowledge come from? How can we be sure that what we know is true?

He believed that our system of knowledge is like building a house. You can't build a house on sand; you need a solid foundation. This "foundation" is what he called "First Principles" or "First Causes." These principles are self-evident; they are the logical starting point for all inferences and knowledge. You cannot prove them, because the very things you would use to prove them are themselves derived from these principles.

To give an example from his philosophy, consider the "Law of Non-Contradiction" in logic – a thing cannot simultaneously be A and not A. For instance, the object in your hand cannot "be both an apple and not an apple." This truth might sound like common sense, but it is a First Principle. You don't need to prove it; it's the basis for all your thinking and argumentation. Without this foundation, all dialogue and knowledge would instantly collapse.

Therefore, the philosophical origin of "First Principles" is a concept proposed by Aristotle as he constructed his system of knowledge and metaphysics, seeking the most stable and reliable logical cornerstone.

The term "Metaphysics" might sound esoteric, but Aristotle's study was essentially about the nature of "being," the "ultimate truths of all things." And First Principles are the starting point for reaching these ultimate truths.

Of course, nowadays we often hear Elon Musk mention this term. He pulled it out of the profound halls of philosophy and transformed it into a powerful tool for solving real-world problems. When he builds rockets and electric cars, he constantly asks: "Why are batteries so expensive?" "Because that's traditionally been the price." "No, let's go back to First Principles. What are the constituent materials of a battery? They are carbon, nickel, aluminum, and so on. How much do these materials cost on the market? If we buy these raw materials and assemble them ourselves, what should the cost be?"

You see, what he does is spiritually the same as Aristotle: cutting through layers of fog and conventional wisdom, getting straight to the core, most essential components of things, and then, starting from this "foundation," rebuilding new possibilities.

To summarize: The "biological father" of this concept is Aristotle, who proposed it to find an absolutely reliable starting point for knowledge and philosophy. And its "godfather" can be said to be Musk, who made this ancient wisdom popular again in modern business and technology.