Theory of Motive Reductions

All essential motive reductions function as reconstructions of the thoughts of another (B) in one’s own mind (A). More simply: A reduces B to his alleged motives when A attempts to know what thoughts had by B conditioned B’s action. These become conceptual, or complete, when expressible such that men can be in a state of common-hearing and thereafter do in a state of common-intending based on the expression. Thus, the essential motive reduction is pragmatic, the conceptual motive reduction rhetorico-coordinative. The primordial motive reduction is also pragmatic, albeit un-self-consciously so – it is whatever comes to the individual mind (A) of another mind (B) without his knowing that it does.

Some preliminary motive reductions:

1. If it seems to you too good to be true, then it is.
2. People minimize perceived losses and maximize perceived gains.
   1. People do whatever they can get away with.
   2. People want whatever they can get.
3. The less of an object there is, the more people have consumed it.
4. Actions follow from intentions.
   1. If they cared, they’d do something about it.
5. Imitations follow from observations.
   1. If I do something and someone else repeats it, they likely saw me do it.

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