You Are Not Book.indb - Stephen H. Wolinsky Ph. D.

62 / You Are Not
Wolinsky: Of course it does, for two reasons: First, the
question pre-supposes and elicits that positive
answer. Second, “you” are asking a person, after
the fact, to justify a positive reason for their
actions. This infers that there is one. Moreover,
intentions are part of the pulsation that arises
prior to the action and the “I” realizing the action
occurring. Intentions are prior to the “I”’s
appearance. Some have even said that if “you”
want to know what was “intended” (not by an
“I,” since an “I” appears later), just notice what
occurred. That is the non-verbal, pre-”I” intention
prior to the appearance—”I” which justifies
and infers why this or that occurred.
Let’s take an example.
Wolinsky: Hitler wanted to kill Jews. What was his positive
intention?
Student: In his mind, to purify the world.
Wolinsky: What was his negative intention?
Student: To get their money and property.
Wolinsky: What was his positive intention?
Student: To make Germany more Aryan and better, more
space.
Wolinsky: What was his negative intention?
Student: To destroy what he saw as enemies and use a
scapegoat to unite people behind him.
Wolinsky: The point is that the question provides the context
for the answer, and brings out an answer that
matches the question, and secondly, the question
pre-supposes the appearance—”I”’s inferences
are real.