different between conditional vs counterfactual

English

Alternative forms

• conditionall (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old French condicionel (French conditionnel).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?d???n?l/

Noun

conditional (plural conditionals)

1. (grammar) A conditional sentence; a statement that depends on a condition being true or false.
2. (grammar) The conditional mood.
3. (logic) A statement that one sentence is true if another is.
4. (programming) An instruction that branches depending on the truth of a condition at that point.

5. (obsolete) A limitation.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)

Synonyms

• (in logic): if-then statement; material conditional

Meronyms

• (in logic): antecedent
• (in logic): consequent

Translations

Adjective

conditional (not comparable)

1. Limited by a condition.
   • 1753, William Warburton, The Character and Conduct of the Messengers

     Every covenant of God with man […] may justly be made (as in fact it is made) with this conditional punishment annexed and declared.

2. (logic) Stating that one sentence is true if another is.
   • 1826, Richard Whately, Elements of Logic

     A conditional proposition is one which asserts the dependence of one categorical proposition on another.

3. (grammar) Expressing a condition or supposition.

Synonyms

• conditioned
• relative
• limited
• (in logic): hypothetical

Antonyms

• absolute
• categorical
• unconditional

Derived terms

Translations

English

Etymology

counter- +? factual

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?ka?nt??fækt?u?l/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?ka?n.t?(?)?fæk.t?u.?l/

Adjective

counterfactual

1. Contrary to the facts; untrue.
2. Of or in comparison to a hypothetical state of the world.

Translations

Noun

counterfactual (plural counterfactuals)

1. A claim, hypothesis, or other belief that is contrary to the facts.
2. A hypothetical state of the world, used to assess the impact of an action.
   • 2015, Lee Drutman, "Here's the real reason we don't have gun reform", Vox

     The implicit counterfactual — that these members would support gun control if not for the $1,000 they received from the NRA — seems unlikely to me.

3. (linguistics, philosophy) A conditional statement in which the conditional clause is false, as "If I had arrived on time . . .".
   • 1952, B. J. Diggs, "VI.—Counterfactual Conditionals," Mind, vol. 61, no. 244, page 513:

     In recent years there has been increasing discussion of the "problem of counterfactuals". One way of formulating this problem is as follows: "What is meant when one asserts a conditional statement, the antecedent of which is contrary to fact?"

See also

• alternative fact

References