Intentionwhether

Intentionwhether is a neologism used in discourse analysis and philosophy to denote a cognitive stance in which a person's intended action is conditional on a proposition's outcome or on an uncertain future situation expressed with a whether-clause. It captures how deliberation blends volition with contingency, distinguishing between acted intention and plans formed under uncertainty.

Origin and usage: The term is not widely adopted in standard reference works; it was proposed in scholarly discussions of language and intention, and remains primarily in theoretical contexts. It is often described as a portmanteau of intention and whether, emphasizing the conditional nature of the commitment.

Application and implications: Intentionwhether helps analyze how speakers articulate plans when the next step depends on an external variable. It is related to topics such as conditional intents, decision theory, and modal semantics. It is distinct from unconditional intention and from hypothetical statements, though it may interact with both.

Examples: A speaker might express intentionwhether to launch a project now or later, depending on funding; the phrase would reflect a deliberative state rather than a firm commitment. Researchers study intentionwhether to disclose findings immediately or await peer review, contingent on risk assessment.