First (Fundamental) Principles

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First principles: the fundamental concepts or assumptions on which a theory, system, or method is based. ([With first principles] you boil things down to the most fundamental truths…and then reason up from there.”)

A fundamental principle is a law or rule that has to be, or usually is to be followed, or can be desirably followed, or is an inevitable consequence of something, such as the laws observed in nature or the way that a system is constructed. The principles of such a system are understood by its users as the essential characteristics of the system, or reflecting system's designed purpose, and the effective operation or use of which would be impossible if any one of the principles was to be ignored. Fundamental principles can be described as a descriptive comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption, the normative rule or code of conduct, and the law or fact of nature underlying the working of an artificial device.

Fundamental Constant: A physical constant, such as the gravitational constant or speed of light, that plays a fundamental role in physics and chemistry and usually has an accurately known value.

Fundamental:

• Involving or comprising of a foundation; basic.
• Involving or comprising a source; primary.
• Serves as the basis of an idea or system.
• On which others are bases; primary; original.
• Designating or of the lowest, or root. 
• A principle, theory, law, etc., serving as a basis; essential part. 
• The fundamental elements or characteristics of something; a thing that is absolutely necessary.

• Something that is essential is extremely important or absolutely necessary to a particular subject, situation, or activity. 
• The essentials are those things that are absolutely necessary for the situation you are in or for the task you are doing. 
• The essential aspects of something are its most basic or important aspects. 
• The essentials are the most important principles, ideas, or facts of a particular subject. 

Synonyms: basic principle, basics, bedrock, fundamentals Types: ABC, ABC's, ABCs, alphabet, first principle, first rudiment, rudiment. the elementary stages of any subject (usually plural) Type of: principle. a basic truth or law or assumption.

So, when you see references in my work to the fundamental principles of self-fense through the practice, training and application of karate and/or martial arts I mean the most basic, non-discipline-style-system specifics, important underlying base principles that drive the effort or discipline.

Fundamental principles transcend any individual cultural social belief, perception and distinction in regard to martial arts and karate used to train, teach and apply said principled skills and methodologies toward self-fense. Such principles are meant to avoid misleading, non-essential or unnecessary ideas, theories and conditions that would stunt and stagnate the very discipline involved. They are the very key to open the door to all styles, systems and disciplines of this nature. It is also how we follow the way of things philosophically speaking. 

There are principles in everything and at all levels where principles have principles or sub-principles yet in this instance the first principles or fundamental principles are the lowest common denominator to the training, practice and application of this discipline. First principles, fundamentally speaking, are the very base core principles that give way to nothing baser. They are, it is, the cornerstone of construction that makes the foundation solid. Expressing principles in the disciplines be they style or system specific change, flow and adjust as they are applied in any given moment, situation or distinction. 

Likened sometimes to the ken-po goku-i as the base law of the fist in a more mystical philosophical belief the core of first principles never change, always result in efficient expert mastery of the methodologies involved aligning with appropriate socially driven mandate force requirements also addressed in the fifth principle of self-defense. 

It shall be known and understood that the first four, first principles drive the fifth and sixth principles. An excellent example when the first principles are aligned in support of other principles that are specific to the strategies of the individual(s) in pursuit of self-fense through these disciplines of martial nature including karate. 

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