---
slug: "FirstPrinciples"
name: "FirstPrinciples"
type: "Reasoning"
layer: "Mind"
ref: "FirstPrinciples#3372"
sema_id: "sema:FirstPrinciples#mh:SHA-256:337221accd9aac33800d03f92127e0eeec9573b81902046b9b2fd447c731067b"
tags: ["Mind","Reasoning"]
updated: 2026-11-11
mindscape: "bootstrap"
index_url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json
url: https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/FirstPrinciples/
related: ["Assumption","Axiom","ChainOfThought","ConstructOntology"]
---

# FirstPrinciples

Axiomatic reconstruction of truth

Layer: Mind · Category: Reasoning

## Mechanism

Axiomatic Reconstruction: Strip away [Assumption](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Assumption.md)s until reaching fundamental truths that cannot be deduced from anything else. Rebuild solution from these [Axiom](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Axiom.md)s only. Reject inherited solutions; derive from scratch. It rebuilds the argument from bedrock using [ChainOfThought](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/ChainOfThought.md), explicitly rejecting any cached or inherited [Assumption](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Assumption.md)s.

## Invariants

- [Axiom](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Axiom.md)s cannot be derived from other statements.
- Stripping stops at a stated axiom set, not at whatever feels self-evident.
- The solution is rebuilt from those [Axiom](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Axiom.md)s only; no inherited [Assumption](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Assumption.md) is carried in.

## Failure modes

- Infinite Regress: Wasting resources proving 1+1=2 instead of solving the actual logistics problem.

## Builds on

- [Assumption](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Assumption.md) (Infrastructure; References)
- [Axiom](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/Axiom.md) (Mind; References)
- [ChainOfThought](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/ChainOfThought.md) (Mind; References)

## Used by

- [ConstructOntology](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/ConstructOntology.md) (Mind; References)

## Identity

- Sema ID: `sema:FirstPrinciples#mh:SHA-256:337221accd9aac33800d03f92127e0eeec9573b81902046b9b2fd447c731067b`
- Ref: `FirstPrinciples#3372`
- Supersedes:
  - `sema:FirstPrinciples#mh:SHA-256:c379f7e5629befb5ccbee33b6fccbc3c4f5ec181b2704c4f82064d5cdc810f61`
  - `sema:FirstPrinciples#mh:SHA-256:4844b2a6e6d0199f1833caaeba9ae1ffdad7be8cb88a012bb42cf2310d609bbb`
  - `sema:FirstPrinciples#mh:SHA-256:8cf87ac255bd98d0a8707915742e57de6b4523ef8dffc33e735cdb75c38d642b`

## Links

- [Pattern page](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/FirstPrinciples/)
- [View in the interactive graph](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/#FirstPrinciples)
- [JSON](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/FirstPrinciples.json)
- [Index of all patterns](https://mindscape.pages.dev/bootstrap/index.json)