First Principles Thinking: The Method and Where It Originally Came From
First principles thinking explained from Aristotle to Elon Musk. The five-step method, real examples from SpaceX battery costs to pharmaceutical...
April 2026
March 2026
Cognitive Biases Defined Simply
Cognitive biases are systematic thinking errors affecting everyone. Your brain uses mental shortcuts for speed, but these create predictable mistakes.
February 2026
Analytical Models vs Intuition
Analytical models excel in stable, data-rich environments. Intuition wins in complex, ambiguous situations with time pressure. Use both strategically.
What Are Mental Models and Why They Matter
Mental models are thinking frameworks shaping perception and decisions. They create shortcuts but can blind you to alternatives.
Why Frameworks Simplify Complexity
Frameworks simplify complexity by reducing cognitive load, enabling pattern recognition across domains, and creating shared language for solving...
Cognitive Principles That Shape Decisions
Cognitive principles shaping decisions: bounded rationality from limited mental capacity, cognitive load that drains energy, and availability bias.
Universal Principles That Apply Across Domains
Pareto principle: 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. Leverage finds high-impact points.
January 2026
What Is a Principle and Why It Matters
Rules tell you what to do; principles tell you how to think. Principles transfer across contexts while rules remain situation-specific.
Why Principles Outlast Tactics
Tactics work until conditions change. Principles adapt because they're based on underlying truths, not surface patterns.
How the Mind Actually Works
The mind works through dual systems: System 1 is fast, automatic, emotional, and unconscious. System 2 is slow, deliberate, logical, and conscious.
Emotional Reasoning Explained
Emotional reasoning is when feelings determine conclusions: 'I feel anxious, therefore danger is real.' Emotions as evidence hijack good judgment.
Why Awareness Does Not Remove Bias
Knowing about confirmation bias doesn't stop you from seeking confirming evidence. Awareness helps but doesn't eliminate automatic cognitive patterns.
Linear Thinking vs Systems Thinking
Linear: A causes B causes C. Systems: A affects B, B affects C, C loops back to A. Feedback loops, interconnections, and delays create complexity.
June 2025
How Biases Are Formed
Pattern recognition overgeneralizes from few examples to broad rules. Cultural learning transmits biases. Emotions attach value creating preferences.
November 2023
The Most Important Cognitive Biases and How They Affect Your Thinking
Cognitive biases are systematic errors in reasoning identified by Kahneman, Tversky, and decades of research.