Book Review: When I read a novel set in a city I know well, I must see that the writer knows the city at least as we...
FlavioJanuary 26, 2016
When introduces sufficient
When doing this question, I got confused when I saw "when" since it triggers a sufficient condition. So would it be wrong to say "read a novel set in a city is sufficient for seeing that the writer knows the city as well as I do"? I see it can be a more elongated way of doing it, but I'm just wondering if it can be done.
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You are correct that "when" introduces the sufficient condition but this is actually a limiting clause for the principle that follows, i.e. "I must see that the writer knows the city at least as well as I do if I am to take that writer seriously."
We know that when the book reviewer reads a novel set in a city he knows well, this principle will apply:
TWS ==> WKCAW not WKCAW ==> not TWS
If the book reviewer is not reading a novel set in a city he knows well, this test does not necessarily apply.
