if-thenism

English

Etymology

if +‎ then +‎ ism

Noun

if-thenism (uncountable)

1. (mathematics) the doctrine that all mathematical statements are conditional in form, meaning they can be expressed in the format "p implies q", (i.e. if p then q).
   • 1968, Bertrand Russell; philosopher of the century, page 287:

     We now come to the difficulty that caused Russell himself to abandon 'if-thenism'.

   • 1979, Introduction to the philosophy of mathematics, page 11:

     In this chapter we shall consider two versions of if-thenism corresponding to two different ways of understanding conditional statements.

   • 1994, Understanding the infinite, page 185:

     The final formalist position we shall consider, deductivism, or if-thenism as it is sometimes called, is suggested by earlier remarks on the game of pure logic.