contingent statement

[kənˈtɪndʒənt ˈsteɪtmənt]
nounpl: contingent statements
proposição contingente
1. A statement or proposition whose truth value depends on circumstances or conditions; a statement that is neither necessarily true nor necessarily false, but true or false depending on how things happen to be in the world
The statement 'It will rain tomorrow' is a contingent statement because its truth depends on future weather conditions.
A afirmação 'Vai chover amanhã' é uma proposição contingente porque sua verdade depende das condições climáticas futuras.
2. In logic and philosophy, a proposition that could be either true or false without logical contradiction
Unlike a tautology, a contingent statement can be false without being logically impossible.
Diferentemente de uma tautologia, uma proposição contingente pode ser falsa sem ser logicamente impossível.
This is primarily academic terminology used in philosophy, logic, and epistemology courses in both Brazilian and American universities. It reflects Western philosophical tradition rooted in modal logic and the distinction between necessary and contingent truths, concepts central to analytic philosophy.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
empirical statementsynthetic statementfactual statementcontingent proposition
Antonyms / Antônimos
necessary statementtautologylogical truthanalytic statement

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
proposição contingente
standard philosophical and logical terminology
Academic Portuguese
enunciado contingente
alternative academic usage in philosophy departments
Portugal
proposição contingente
standard usage in Portuguese logic and philosophy texts

Related Words

necessitypossibilitymodalitytruth valuelogical contingencyempiricism

Related Idioms & Phrases

contingent upon
subject to conditions
depending on circumstances
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