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secretad · Post by **secretad** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 12:10 pm

How to symbolize this statement...

"If only I could do Z would I be happy."

I am trying to visualize this in my mind if that only is referring to the only thing that can make me happy or what.

Is it Z->happy or happy->z

pu_golf88 · Post by **pu_golf88** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 12:22 pm

Do you mean "If only I could do Z, then I would be happy"?

Z -> happy

secretad · Post by **secretad** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 12:25 pm

Thank you. Yes, that is another way of saying that same statement.

Fianna13 · Post by **Fianna13** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:09 am

I don't think he's right. If only introduces a necessary statement, a better wording would be I would be happy if only i could do Z, which means if I'm happy, then i must have done Z, the diagram would be happy --> Z. The other post confused if only with If.

suspicious android · Post by **suspicious android** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:50 am

Fianna13 wrote:I don't think he's right. If only introduces a necessary statement, a better wording would be I would be happy if only i could do Z, which means if I'm happy, then i must have done Z, the diagram would be happy --> Z. The other post confused if only with If.

Nope. You're confusing "if only" with "only if". The clear meaning of the sentence is that Z is enough to make the person happy, but perhaps X or Y would suffice as well.

EarlCat · Post by **EarlCat** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:20 pm

suspicious android wrote:
Fianna13 wrote:I don't think he's right. If only introduces a necessary statement, a better wording would be I would be happy if only i could do Z, which means if I'm happy, then i must have done Z, the diagram would be happy --> Z. The other post confused if only with If.
Nope. You're confusing "if only" with "only if". The clear meaning of the sentence is that Z is enough to make the person happy, but perhaps X or Y would suffice as well.

^This. "If only" does not indicate necessity. It indicates sufficiency.

DarkPhantom · Post by **DarkPhantom** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 5:15 pm

lol, as soon as I saw the OP's question, I figured he or someone was about to confused If only, with Only if.

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