What is first-principles thinking?

“…well I've got this like first principles algorithm that I find to be very helpful in and any in the design and manufacturing of anything and people here may find it helpful the first thing you should do is make the requirements that you've been given a less dumb whatever constraints and requirements were given there were some degree down and you want to make them less dumb…”

— Elon Musk, 4 November 2022 · Watch: Elon Musk at the 2022 Baron Investment Conference · 11:01 ↗