conditional

conditional
Any proposition of the form ‘if p then q ’. The condition hypothesized, p, is called the antecedent of the conditional, and q the consequent. Various kinds of conditional have been distinguished. The weakest is that of material implication, merely telling us that either not-p, or q . Stronger conditionals include elements of modality, corresponding to the thought that ‘if p is true then q must be true’. Ordinary language is very flexible in its use of the conditional form, and there is controversy whether conditionals are better treated semantically, yielding different kinds of conditionals with different meanings, or pragmatically, in which case there should be one basic meaning, with surface differences arising from other implicatures . See also Adams's thesis, counterfactual conditional, material conditional, strict implication.

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

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  • conditional — I adjective alterable, changeable, conditioned, containing stipulations, contingent on, dependent on, depending on, depending on a future event, determined by, equivocal, granted on certain terms, hypothetical, imposing a condition, indefinite,… …   Law dictionary

  • Conditional — may refer to: Causal conditional, if X then Y, where X is a cause of Y Conditional mood (or conditional tense), a verb form in many languages Conditional probability, the probability of an event A given that another event B has occurred… …   Wikipedia

  • condiţional — CONDIŢIONÁL, Ă, condiţionali, e, adj. Care este supus unei condiţii; care cuprinde o condiţie. ♢ (psih.) Excitant condiţional = excitant care, sincronizat în mai multe repetiţii cu un reflex înnăscut, sfârşeşte prin a produce singur un efect… …   Dicționar Român

  • conditional — con‧di‧tion‧al [kənˈdɪʆnəl] adjective if an offer, agreement etc is conditional, it will only be done if something else happens: conditional on/​upon • The sale of the company is conditional upon approval by the shareholders. • a conditional… …   Financial and business terms

  • Conditional — Con*di tion*al, a. [L. conditionalis.] 1. Containing, implying, or depending on, a condition or conditions; not absolute; made or granted on certain terms; as, a conditional promise. [1913 Webster] Every covenant of God with man . . . may justly… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • conditional — [kən dish′ən əl] adj. 1. a) containing, implying, or dependent on a condition or conditions; qualified; not absolute [a conditional award] b) Logic designating or including a compound proposition that has the form “if p, then q,” in which p and q …   English World dictionary

  • Conditional — Con*di tion*al, n. 1. A limitation. [Obs.] Bacon. [1913 Webster] 2. A conditional word, mode, or proposition. [1913 Webster] Disjunctives may be turned into conditionals. L. H. Atwater. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • conditional — ► ADJECTIVE 1) subject to one or more conditions being met. 2) (of a clause, phrase, conjunction, or verb form) expressing a condition. ► NOUN ▪ the conditional mood of a verb, for example should in if I should die. DERIVATIVES conditionality… …   English terms dictionary

  • conditional — late 14c., condicionel, from O.Fr. condicionel (Mod.Fr. conditionnel), from L. conditionalis, from condicionem (see CONDITION (Cf. condition)). Related: Conditionally …   Etymology dictionary

  • conditional — *dependent, contingent, relative Analogous words: problematic, questionable (see DOUBTFUL): *provisional, tentative: subject, prone, *liable, open: *accidental, fortuitous, incidental Antonyms: unconditional …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • conditional — [adj] dependent codicillary, contingent, depending on, fortuitous, granted on certain terms, guarded, iffy*, incidental, inconclusive, limited, modified, not absolute, obscure, provisional, provisory, qualified, relative, reliant, relying on,… …   New thesaurus

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