Consider the sentence "X happens provided Y happens."
According to some dictionaries (say, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary), the conjunction "provided (that)" means either "if", or "only if".
Still, most other dictionaries, in essence, only say that "provided (that)" means "only if."
In other words, according to most dictionaries, the sole interpretation of the above sentence is that Y is a necessary condition for X, while according to, say, Cambridge Adv. L. Dict., another interpretation of the above sentence is that Y is a sufficient condition for X.
The obvious question is then this: is the only way to interpret the above sentence is as if it's saying that Y is a necessary condition for X, or could there be another interpretation, that Y is a sufficient condition for X?
Thank you very much.
Note: In light of Munch's reply below, I have edited the above; I've replaced "that X is a sufficient condition for X?" with "that Y is a sufficient condition for X?" at the end of the post. Thank you Munch.
According to some dictionaries (say, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary), the conjunction "provided (that)" means either "if", or "only if".
Still, most other dictionaries, in essence, only say that "provided (that)" means "only if."
In other words, according to most dictionaries, the sole interpretation of the above sentence is that Y is a necessary condition for X, while according to, say, Cambridge Adv. L. Dict., another interpretation of the above sentence is that Y is a sufficient condition for X.
The obvious question is then this: is the only way to interpret the above sentence is as if it's saying that Y is a necessary condition for X, or could there be another interpretation, that Y is a sufficient condition for X?
Thank you very much.
Note: In light of Munch's reply below, I have edited the above; I've replaced "that X is a sufficient condition for X?" with "that Y is a sufficient condition for X?" at the end of the post. Thank you Munch.
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