Ask HN: How do you generate higher-quality ideas?
Not necessarily ground-breaking or original, but compelling and interesting and useful. It can be any domain whether scientific, economic, or art.
and working with solid principles, from first principles, is how you reach durable new understandings. IMO.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People has some great material about the use of principles in being personally creative.
Inventing on Principle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUv66718DII
I serve as a creativity coach to builders, innovators, and founders. Sometimes what a thinker needs more than anything else is a BREAK to BATHE! and then... EUREKA! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_(word)