Full Idea
The doctor says "If the patient is still alive in the morning, change the dressing". As a truth-functional command this says "Make it that either the patient is dead in the morning, or change the dressing", so the nurse kills the patient.
Gist of Idea
Doctor:'If patient still alive, change dressing'; Nurse:'Either dead patient, or change dressing'; kills patient!
Source
Dorothy Edgington (Conditionals (Stanf) [2006], 5)
Book Reference
'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.29
A Reaction
Isn't philosophy wonderful?
Related Idea
Idea 14305 In the truth-functional account a burnt-up match was soluble because it never entered water [Carnap]