What is Elon Musk's first principles thinking?
First principles thinking is about deconstructing problems to their most fundamental truths, then reasoning up from there. Instead of relying on analogy or what others have done, you break things down to basic physics or undeniable facts. For example, with batteries, instead of thinking about the cost of existing batteries, I thought about the raw materials needed. This approach allows for radical innovation and avoids being constrained by conventional wisdom.