What is Planck's Principle?

Planck's Principle is a mental model used for better thinking and decision-making.

How do you apply Planck's Principle?

To apply Planck's Principle, identify situations where this framework is relevant, then use it as a lens to evaluate your options and decisions. The model is most useful when combined with other complementary mental models.

What category does Planck's Principle fall under?

Planck's Principle falls under the General Thinking & Meta-Models category of mental models. Other models in this category can be found on the General Thinking & Meta-Models hub page.

Why is Planck's Principle important?

Planck's Principle is important because it provides a structured way to think about problems that would otherwise be approached with intuition alone. Understanding this model helps you avoid common reasoning errors and make better decisions.

Where does Planck's Principle come from?

Planck's Principle is discussed in the tradition of Max Planck.

General Thinking & Meta-Models

Planck's Principle

Model #0736Category: General Thinking & Meta-ModelsSource: Max PlanckDepth to apply:

4 min read

Contents

1. Core Idea
2. How to See It
3. How to Use It
4. Founders & Leaders
5. Connected Models
6. One Key Quote
7. Summary & Further Reading

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Section 1

Core Idea

Planck's principle — often paraphrased as "science advances one funeral at a time" — holds that new ideas rarely win by converting their opponents. Instead, the old guard retires or dies, and a new generation grows up taking the new framework for granted. Max Planck observed this about physics, but the dynamic is universal: people who built their career, identity, and status on an existing paradigm have enormous psychological and economic incentives to defend it. Changing a mind requires the mind's owner to admit years of wasted effort, lost status, and mistaken judgement. Most will not. Founders encounter this everywhere — in industries, boards, and their own organisations — and the strategic implication is clear: don't waste resources persuading entrenched incumbents. Win the next generation instead.