How do first principles help identify “hidden biases”?

This is a very interesting question. To explain it clearly, we first need to talk about how people usually make decisions.

Most of the time, we make decisions based on "experience," "common sense," or "analogy." For example, "We succeeded doing it this way last time, so let's do it again," or "Everyone else is doing it this way, so we can't go wrong following suit." This approach is quick, convenient, and often effective. However, the problem is that these "experiences" and "common sense" often harbor biases that we ourselves aren't even aware of.

Now, "First Principles Thinking" enters the scene. It acts like a "bias filter," working in a completely opposite way.

It doesn't ask, "How do others do it?" nor "How have we done it before?" Instead, it asks the most fundamental questions: "What is the essence of this matter? What are the undeniable facts?"

Let's take an example:

Suppose a company wants to hire an "excellent salesperson."

According to conventional thinking (harboring biases): People might immediately think of criteria like: "Must be outgoing and lively," "Must be eloquent and articulate," "Preferably with over 5 years of relevant industry experience," "Graduates from prestigious universities preferred." You see, biases are hidden within:

• The idea that "salespeople must be outgoing" is a bias; many top salespeople are actually introverted, excelling at listening and analysis.
• "5 years of experience" is a bias; it assumes experience equals ability. However, someone with 2 years of experience but exceptional insight might far surpass someone who has worked for 5 years but only "recites scripts."
• "Prestigious university" is an even more classic example of the halo effect bias.

Thinking with First Principles: We disregard ready-made labels and instead break down the problem:

1. What is the "fundamental purpose" of hiring for this role? -> To increase company product sales and generate more profit.
2. What are the core competencies a person "must possess" to achieve this purpose? ->
   • Ability to accurately understand customer needs (listening and analytical skills).
   • Ability to clearly articulate our product's value and address customer concerns (communication and problem-solving skills).
   • Ability to earn customer trust (integrity and relationship-building skills).
   • Ability to continuously learn and adapt to market changes (learning agility).
3. Is there a necessary causal relationship between these core competencies and being "outgoing," having "5 years of experience," or attending a "prestigious university"? -> No.

This is where it gets interesting. By digging down layer by layer, returning to the most fundamental goals and the conditions necessary to achieve them, our previously taken-for-granted "standards" no longer hold up. We discover that what we truly need is someone with "listening, analytical, communication, integrity, and learning abilities," not someone labeled "outgoing, experienced, from a prestigious school."

In this way, we uncover "hidden biases." We won't immediately dismiss someone for being introverted, nor will we close the door on someone with less experience. Our perspective broadens, making it more likely to find the person truly capable of excelling in the role.

So, simply put, First Principles Thinking is a "get to the bottom of it" way of thinking. It forces you to abandon seemingly obvious "shortcuts" and "social consensuses," and instead examine the true foundation of your decisions. In this process of examination, biases that cannot withstand scrutiny, hidden beneath "common sense," naturally come to light.