Single Idea 14600

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / F. Analytic Philosophy / 3. Analysis of Preconditions]

Full Idea

An analysis is an attempt at providing finite, non-circular, and intuitively adequate necessary and sufficient conditions.

Gist of Idea

Analysis aims at secure necessary and sufficient conditions

Source

Jonathan Schaffer (Causation and Laws of Nature [2008], 3)

Book Reference

'Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics', ed/tr. Sider/Hawthorne/Zimmerman [Blackwell 2008], p.86


A Reaction

Specifying the 'conditions' for something doesn't seem to quite add up to telling you what the thing is. A trivial side-effect might qualify as a sufficient condition for something, if it always happens.