Problem Solving

This is a classic question that almost everyone with a technical background asks themselves in the dead of night when building their own product.

Let's put it this way: you can think of these two concepts as two different ways of "deconstruction." Critical thinking is more like "finding flaws" and "quality inspection.

Let's put it this way, it's like learning to cook. If your learning method is to memorize recipes by rote, for example, "Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes: two eggs, one tomato, 5 grams of salt.

Don't panic, I've got this. Encountering a new question type in an exam feels like you've trained for a 100-meter dash, but the referee suddenly hands you a gun and tells you to shoot.

Absolutely, and one could argue it's one of its most crucial roles. Let me explain with a simple analogy; you might find it easier to understand.

Let's put it this way, this is like "The Emperor's New Clothes." Most entrepreneurs are actually making "better" clothes, for example, with more luxurious materials or newer styles.

我个人觉得，这就像问“是不是所有菜都能用最基础的油盐酱醋和原材料做出来？” 理论上，好像是的。只要你有最基础的食材（鸡、蛋、面粉、番茄）和调味料，你就能组合出无数种菜肴，从炒鸡蛋到法式大餐。这就是“第一性原理”的思路——抛开现有的菜谱（现有的解决方案），去分析食材最本质的特性（物理、化学性质），然后重新组合，创造出新的东西，甚至是颠覆性的东西。

Ah, that's a very good question, and many people think that way. I can understand why, because "deconstruction" is indeed the most obvious and initial step in first principles thinking.

Absolutely, and this is precisely the trap many fall into when applying first principles. To draw an analogy, it's like learning martial arts.

I totally get that feeling. It's like you set out to understand "how a car works," but you keep disassembling it, and eventually, you're just staring at a pile of nuts and bolts, having forgotten why ...

Yes, absolutely, and the effect is very significant. Let me explain with a simple, straightforward example. Suppose you want to solve the problem of "thirst.

Hello, friend. This is an interesting question, and it's not as mysterious as it sounds. 'First Principles Thinking,' simply put, means 'getting to the root of things, returning to the essence.

Hello, this is an interesting question. I'll try to explain my understanding in simple terms, hoping it helps you. In essence, "First Principles Thinking" simply means "digging to the root, returning ...

To avoid oversimplification, the key isn't to make problems more complicated, but to ensure your "simplification" is of high quality. This might sound a bit convoluted, so let me explain with an analo...

Of course, and they are an absolute perfect match. Used separately, each is powerful; combined, their power is immense. Let me use a simple analogy to help you understand: building a car.

Let's put it this way: these two concepts are essentially two different "problem-solving operating systems" in our brains. "Analogical thinking" is like "copying homework.

Simply put, Google's biggest challenge in its early days was: having the best technology, but not knowing how to make money. Think about it, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the two founders, were initiall...

Hey, that's a great question! Many have heard Naval Ravikant say this, but perhaps haven’t deeply considered just how crucial it is. Simply put, Naval emphasizes "asking why repeatedly" because it’s t...

Hey, really glad to chat about this! The two "moments" Friedman introduced in The World Is Flat are super interesting. They're not just core concepts in the book; they perfectly capture his writing st...