Conditions

Conditions refer to states of affairs or requirements that influence whether an event occurs, a situation persists, or a standard is met. As a noun, a condition is a state of something at a given time or a stipulation that must be satisfied. The term is used in phrases such as in good condition or under certain conditions, where it describes either the current state or the terms attached to an arrangement. The related adjective conditional describes actions or outcomes that depend on a condition.

In medicine, a medical condition is a disease, disorder, or health issue. Conditions can be chronic, persisting over long periods, or acute, arising suddenly and resolving quickly. Examples include diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and infections. Medical conditions are diagnosed by symptoms, tests, and medical history, and management may involve treatment, prevention, and lifestyle adjustments.

In logic and mathematics, a condition is a proposition that must hold for a statement to be true. Conditional statements follow the form if A then B, and a condition can be necessary or sufficient for an outcome. In probability, conditional probability describes the likelihood of an event given that another event has occurred.

In computing, conditions appear in control flow, such as conditional branches that execute when a boolean expression evaluates to true. They govern decisions within software and scripts.

In law and contracts, conditions specify terms that must be met for an agreement to take effect or continue. A condition precedent creates a duty to act only after a specified event, while a suspensive condition suspends obligations until that event occurs.

Weather and environmental conditions describe the atmospheric state or surrounding circumstances that affect planning and safety, such as temperature, humidity, wind, or flood risk. In philosophy, conditions are analyzed as necessary or sufficient for events, helping to distinguish what is required from what is enough.