Sapiens is within a system, the system to understand, of an organization, that has a professional culture. Within this culture, there is what we could call philosophy: a way of thinking and doing things. The philosophy to apply Sapiens is based on the idea that it is necessary to understand in order to act, and is formed by some basic principles.

In the dictionary of the RAE there are many meanings for the word "principle", of which we are interested in the one that defines it as "base, origin, rationale on which to proceed in any matter", and the one that defines it as "fundamental norm or idea that governs thought or behavior".

Our definition of principle refers to our fundamental bases for the approach of the methodology and, above all, to some norms or recommendations for the application of the methodology. We do not refer to principles in the sense of values, from an ethical or moral point of view, even though our values ​​are also reflected in the Sapiens principles.

The principles as a whole form a philosophy for the application of Sapiens, and each of them is a rule to follow but always with flexibility. More than specific rules to be followed in an immovable way, they are general recommendations, adaptable to each situation, about the attitude and point of view that we believe is good to maintain throughout the research work, because it will help understanding.

In these principles there is a balance between two aspects, which are two sides of the same coin. On the one hand, there is a expansive will, an open mind, a predisposition to develop the imagination. On the other hand, there is a will of concretion, with rigor and realism.

Some of the principles follow a line that prioritizes freedom, exploration, and broadening of horizons. Instead, other principles follow a line of keeping exploration and new horizons within seriousness and realism.

The principles for applying the Sapiens methodology can be summarized as follows: