first-principles
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ChineseFirst-Principles Thinking
第一性原理思维
Apply systematic first-principles analysis to break down complex problems into fundamental truths and rebuild solutions from the ground up.
运用系统化的第一性原理分析，将复杂问题拆解为基本事实，再从头构建解决方案。
When to Apply This Framework
何时应用该框架
Use first-principles thinking when you encounter:
- Complex decisions with no clear answer
- Conventional approaches that aren't working
- Assumptions that may be limiting solutions
- Need to innovate beyond industry norms
- Problems that feel "impossible"
在以下场景中运用第一性原理思维：
- 无明确答案的复杂决策
- 常规方法失效的情况
- 固有假设可能限制解决方案的场景
- 需要突破行业常规进行创新的需求
- 看似“不可能解决”的问题
The 15 First-Principles Prompts
15个第一性原理提示词
Category 1: Foundation (Strip to Fundamentals)
类别1：基础层（剥离至本质）
1. "What are the physics of this problem?"
Strip everything to objective reality. Remove opinions, preferences, and history.
Apply when: You need to understand what's actually true vs what you believe is true.
2. "If I couldn't rely on existing assumptions, how would I solve this?"
Assumptions are invisible cages. This prompt forces fresh thinking.
Apply when: You're stuck in conventional approaches or "the way things are done."
3. "What are the problem's fundamental components?"
Break problems into atoms. What are the irreducible elements?
Apply when: A problem feels overwhelming or too complex to tackle.
1. “这个问题的物理本质是什么？”
剥离所有主观因素，回归客观事实。摒弃观点、偏好和历史经验的干扰。
适用场景：你需要区分客观事实与主观臆断时。
2. “如果不能依赖现有假设，我会如何解决这个问题？”
假设是无形的牢笼。这个提示词能倒逼你进行全新思考。
适用场景：你困于常规方法或“固有行事方式”时。
3. “这个问题的核心组成部分是什么？”
将问题拆解至最小单元。哪些是不可再分的要素？
适用场景：问题看起来过于庞大复杂，难以着手时。
Category 2: Ideal State (Unconstrained Vision)
类别2：理想状态（无约束愿景）
4. "What would the optimal solution look like if cost didn't exist?"
Constraints ruin creativity too early. First imagine the ideal, then work backward.
Apply when: Budget or resources are limiting your thinking prematurely.
5. "If I were forced to cut 90 percent of this, what would remain?"
Brutal prioritization. What is truly essential?
Apply when: You have too many options, features, or tasks competing for attention.
4. “如果不考虑成本，最优解决方案是什么样的？”
过早考虑约束会扼杀创造力。先构想理想方案，再逆向推导。
适用场景：预算或资源限制过早束缚你的思维时。
5. “如果必须砍掉90%的内容，剩下的是什么？”
极致优先级排序。哪些才是真正不可或缺的？
适用场景：你有太多选项、功能或任务争夺注意力时。
Category 3: Risk Analysis (Failure Modes)
类别3：风险分析（失败模式）
6. "If this failed completely, what would be the root cause?"
Start with failure to engineer success. Pre-mortem thinking.
Apply when: Planning a launch, making a major commitment, or assessing risk.
7. "What would a solution look like if I ignored industry norms?"
Bypass entire industries by refusing to copy them.
Apply when: You're building something new or disrupting an existing market.
8. "What part of this is actually impossible and what part just feels impossible?"
Most limits are emotional, not physical. Separate real constraints from fear.
Apply when: You're hesitating on a big decision or feeling stuck.
6. “如果彻底失败，根本原因是什么？”
从失败倒推成功，采用事前验尸思维。
适用场景：规划产品发布、做出重大承诺或评估风险时。
7. “如果无视行业常规，解决方案会是什么样的？”
拒绝照搬行业做法，从而实现跨行业突破。
适用场景：你正在打造全新事物或颠覆现有市场时。
8. “哪些部分是真正不可能实现的，哪些只是看似不可能？”
大多数限制是情绪上的，而非物理层面的。区分真实约束与恐惧。
适用场景：你在重大决策前犹豫不决或陷入停滞时。
Category 4: Breakthrough (Minimum Viable Impact)
类别4：突破点（最小可行突破）
9. "What is the minimum viable breakthrough?"
Not minimum viable product. Minimum viable breakthrough. What's the smallest thing that changes everything?
Apply when: You need traction but resources are limited.
10. "If I restarted this entire project today, knowing what I know now, what would I build?"
Clean slate thinking. Sunk costs are irrelevant.
Apply when: You've accumulated technical debt, complexity, or legacy decisions.
9. “最小可行突破是什么？”
不是最小可行产品，而是最小可行突破。什么是能彻底改变局面的最小举措？
适用场景：你需要获得进展但资源有限时。
10. “如果今天重启整个项目，基于我当前的认知，我会如何构建？”
清空过往的思维定式。沉没成本无关紧要。
适用场景：你积累了技术债务、复杂度或遗留决策时。
Category 5: Constraints & Politics (Hidden Blockers)
类别5：约束与政治（隐性障碍）
11. "What are the hidden constraints I'm not questioning?"
Most problems hide fake walls. Find and challenge them.
Apply when: Growth has plateaued or you feel artificially limited.
12. "How would I solve this if I only cared about physics, not politics?"
Remove social friction from problem solving. What's the objectively best answer?
Apply when: Organizational dynamics are clouding decision-making.
11. “哪些隐性约束是我未曾质疑过的？”
大多数问题都隐藏着虚假的壁垒。找到并挑战它们。
适用场景：增长陷入停滞或你感到受人为限制时。
12. “如果只考虑物理规律而非人情世故，我会如何解决这个问题？”
从问题解决中移除社交摩擦。客观上的最佳方案是什么？
适用场景：组织动态干扰决策制定时。
Category 6: Scale & Leverage (10x Thinking)
类别6：规模化与杠杆效应（10倍思维）
13. "If I had to achieve this 10 times faster, what would I do?"
Extreme deadlines force extreme creativity. Compression reveals what's essential.
Apply when: You need to accelerate timelines dramatically.
14. "What would this look like if it had to scale to millions?"
Think in orders of magnitude. What breaks? What must change?
Apply when: Planning for growth or designing systems.
15. "Which part of this solution creates the most leverage?"
Always build the part that changes everything first.
Apply when: Deciding where to focus limited resources.
13. “如果必须将速度提升10倍，我会怎么做？”
极端截止期限会倒逼极端创造力。压缩时间会凸显核心要素。
适用场景：你需要大幅加快进度时。
14. “如果要扩展到数百万用户，会是什么样子？”
按数量级思考。哪些部分会崩溃？哪些必须改变？
适用场景：规划增长或设计系统时。
15. “解决方案中哪部分能产生最大杠杆效应？”
始终优先构建能带来全局改变的部分。
适用场景：你需要决定有限资源的投入方向时。
Meta-Prompts (Combining Multiple Lenses)
元提示词（多视角组合）
Full Analysis Stack:
"Break my problem into fundamental truths, strip all assumptions, find the optimal solution, identify hidden constraints, and rebuild the idea from first principles."
Universal Reset:
"If I rebuilt this from raw truth, what would it become?"
完整分析框架：
“将我的问题拆解为基本事实，剥离所有假设，找到最优解决方案，识别隐性约束，再基于第一性原理重新构建思路。”
通用重置提示词：
“如果基于纯粹的事实从头构建，它会变成什么样？”
How to Structure Your Analysis
如何构建你的分析
When applying first-principles thinking, produce:
- Problem Statement - Clarified, specific challenge
- Assumptions Identified - List of assumptions being questioned
- Fundamental Truths - What is objectively true
- Analysis - Application of relevant prompts from above
- Insights - Key realizations from the analysis
- Recommendations - Actionable next steps
- Open Questions - What still needs investigation
运用第一性原理思维时，需产出以下内容：
- 问题陈述 - 清晰明确的具体挑战
- 已识别的假设 - 列出所有被质疑的假设
- 基本事实 - 客观真实的内容
- 分析过程 - 应用上述相关提示词的过程
- 洞察结论 - 分析得出的关键认知
- 建议方案 - 可执行的下一步行动
- 待解决问题 - 仍需调查的内容
Quick Reference by Situation
按场景快速参考
| Situation | Start With Prompts |
|---|---|
| Stuck on a decision | #8 (impossible vs feels impossible), #5 (cut 90%) |
| Building something new | #7 (ignore industry norms), #9 (minimum viable breakthrough) |
| Scaling challenges | #13 (10x faster), #14 (scale to millions) |
| Technical debt | #10 (restart today), #3 (fundamental components) |
| Resource constraints | #4 (if cost didn't exist), #15 (maximum leverage) |
| Risk assessment | #6 (pre-mortem), #11 (hidden constraints) |
| 场景 | 起始提示词 |
|---|---|
| 决策陷入停滞 | #8（真实不可能vs看似不可能）、#5（砍掉90%内容） |
| 打造全新事物 | #7（无视行业常规）、#9（最小可行突破） |
| 规模化挑战 | #13（10倍速度）、#14（扩展至数百万用户） |
| 技术债务问题 | #10（今日重启项目）、#3（核心组成部分） |
| 资源约束 | #4（不考虑成本）、#15（最大杠杆效应） |
| 风险评估 | #6（事前验尸）、#11（隐性约束） |