Welcome to First Principles. This is a blog about the ideas that have shaped the world — drawn from history, economics, philosophy, and the books that contain them. It is written slowly, revised often, and published only when something feels genuinely worth saying.

The name comes from a method of thinking: stripping away assumptions and received wisdom to ask what is actually, fundamentally true. It is how Aristotle approached knowledge, how Descartes rebuilt philosophy from the ground up, and how the best thinkers in every field have approached hard problems. It seemed the right name for a blog that tries to take ideas seriously.

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What this blog is about

History, because the past is the only laboratory we have for understanding how human societies actually work — not in theory, but in practice, over centuries. Economics, because almost everything in public life eventually comes down to questions of scarcity, incentive, and exchange. Philosophy, because without it we argue endlessly about questions that have already been carefully examined. And books, because they remain the best technology ever invented for transmitting serious thought across time.

These subjects bleed into one another constantly. The best economic history is inseparable from philosophy. The best philosophy is deeply attentive to historical fact. I make no apology for crossing disciplinary lines — the lines themselves are mostly artificial.

How to get in touch

If something here prompts a thought, a disagreement, or a book recommendation, I would genuinely like to hear it. Use the contact page to reach me. I read everything, though I cannot always reply promptly.