Only an expert in some branch of psychology could understand why Patrick is behaving irrationally. But no expert is c...
BenAugust 15, 2019
Only in the passage
I thought "Only" introduces a sufficient condition and "the only" introduces a necessary condition. Why in the example is Expert the necessary condition?
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Great question. It is the other way around - "only" or "only if" typically introduces a necessary condition, and "the only" introduces a sufficient condition. "If and only if" introduces both.
Only an expert could understand:
IF understand THEN an expert IF NOT an expert THEN not understand
Compare it to:
The only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms is Grover Cleveland.
IF nonconsecutive terms THEN Grover Cleveland IF NOT Grover Cleveland THEN NOT nonconsecutive terms.
And compare it to:
A number is divisible by 9 if and only if the sum of its digits is divisible by 9.
IF sum divisible THEN number divisible IF number divisible THEN sum divisible
