Antecedent (logic)

An antecedent is the first half of a hypothetical proposition

Proposition

In logic and philosophy, the term proposition refers to either the "content" or "meaning" of a meaningful declarative sentence or the pattern of symbols, marks, or sounds that make up a meaningful declarative sentence...

.

Examples:

• If P, then Q.

This is a nonlogical formulation of a hypothetical proposition. In this case, the antecedent is P, and the consequent

Consequent

A consequent is the second half of a hypothetical proposition. In the standard form of such a proposition, it is the part that follows "then".Examples:* If P, then Q.Q is the consequent of this hypothetical proposition....

 is Q.

• If X is a man, then X is mortal.

"X is a man" is the antecedent for this proposition.

• If men have walked on the moon, then I am the king of France.

Here, "men have walked on the moon" is the antecedent.

See also

• Consequent
  Consequent
  A consequent is the second half of a hypothetical proposition. In the standard form of such a proposition, it is the part that follows "then".Examples:* If P, then Q.Q is the consequent of this hypothetical proposition....
  
  
• Denying the antecedent
  Denying the antecedent
  Denying the antecedent, sometimes also called inverse error, is a formal fallacy, committed by reasoning in the form:The name denying the antecedent derives from the premise "not P", which denies the "if" clause of the conditional premise....
  
  (fallacy)