First principles are the simplest something can be, but not simpler
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.[1] When complexity is reduced to simplicity, the resulting principles achieve a “harmonic resonance” with reality. These “first principles” have a unique quality, in that they ”just work.” They can function as simple rules that shape thought and behavior in ways that are maximally generative and effective.
Attempts to reduce complexity still further result in simplistic solutions, to the point of being misleading or incorrect. A simplistic solution treats complex issues and problems as if they were much simpler than they actually are. These solutions are attractive because they mask the complexity and require less cognitive effort, but they are wrong in ways that those who use them do not realize.
#strategic-cartography #cognition
See also:
- Simple rules tame complexity
- Principles and practices in the creation of mental models
- Substitution answers an easier, similar question instead
This concept is often attributed to Einstein, though the closest verifiable origin comes from a lecture Einstein gave in 1933 at Oxford, later published in Einstein, A. (1933). On the Method of Theoretical Physics. In: Philosophy of Science, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 163–169. In that lecture, Einstein stated: “It can scarcely be denied that the supreme goal of all theory is to make the irreducible basic elements as simple and as few as possible without having to surrender the adequate representation of a single datum of experience.” ↩︎