sufficient condition

logic

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June 17, 2026

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In logic, a sufficient condition is a stipulation that, if true, guarantees the truth of another proposition or state of affairs. For example, in the statement "If it is raining, then the ground is wet," rain is a sufficient condition for the ground being wet. This means that if the first part (the condition) is true, the second part (the outcome) must also be true.12

This is distinct from a necessary condition, which must be true for something else to be true, but does not guarantee it on its own.1

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condition
…common and useful expressions “sufficient condition” and “necessary condition.” If some instance of a property P is always accompanied by a corresponding instance of some other property Q, but not necessarily vice versa, then P is said to be a sufficient condition for Q and, equivalently, Q is said…
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…common and useful expressions “sufficient condition” and “necessary condition.” If some instance of a property P is always accompanied by a corresponding instance of some other property Q, but not necessarily vice versa, then P is said to be a sufficient condition for Q and, equivalently, Q is said…
Read More