Stop iterating on the candle.
Invent the lightbulb.
The best way to explain AFC:
The End of Analogy. The Return to Axioms.
Abstract First Cognition (AFC) is the discipline of deconstructing reality to its foundational truths (Axioms) and then reconstructing novel solutions from that solid ground. - It merges two critical modes:
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Axiomatic Deconstruction (First Principles): Relentlessly asking "why" until you arrive at an irreducible, self-evident truth.
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Holistic Synthesis (Systems Thinking): Perceiving the invisible patterns, feedback loops, and interrelationships that govern the whole.
What AFC is Not vs. What AFC Is
NOT AFC: "How can we make a slightly faster horse?"
AFC: "What is the fundamental axiom of transportation? (Efficient movement of mass). If we start from scratch, what is the optimal way to achieve this?" (Inventing the car).
NOT AFC: "How do we improve standardized testing in schools?"
AFC: "What is the fundamental purpose of learning in a post-scarcity world? What are the axioms of human development?" (Redesigning the entire concept of education).
NOT AFC: Accepting received wisdom because "that's how it's always been done."
AFC: Challenging every assumption until only fundamental truth remain
How to Apply To life
Train your mind to see the gap between current reality and a reality based on first principles.
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Select a Subject (1 min): Choose a belief, problem, or system. (e.g., "My career path," "Our political system").
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Deconstruct with "Why?" (5 mins): Ask, "Why is this the way it is?" Write down the answer. Treat that answer as the new subject and ask "Why?" again. Repeat at least five times, or until you hit a truth that feels fundamental.
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Identify Core Axioms (2 mins): Circle the 1-3 statements that feel most foundational. These are the axioms.
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Reflective Question (2 mins): Ask: "Knowing these axioms, if I were to build a system from scratch to serve them, would it look like the one that exists today?"