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I was reading up on the use of conditionals と, ば, たら and なら. One part of the source talks about one type of conditional clause, but I am not sure of its meaning.

Here's what the source says, and my attempt at translation:

仮定条件(前件が仮に成立した場合、その前件を条件として後件が成立することを表わす)

Assumptive conditional clauses (the first half of the sentence (conditional clause) is based on an assumption; expresses the first half as a requirement for the establishment of the other half)

The word として is confusing me. There have been other questions about として, but reading the sentence above with an "as" or a "by way of" does not make sense to me. Easy sentences are okay, like:

彼は医者として有名だ。He is famous as a doctor.

(医者として有名 = Famous as doctor)

However, how do I parse this more complicated sentence?

{[その前件を 条件として後件が] 成立すること} を 表わす

条件として後件 = The latter as the requirement?

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    Why doesn't "as" make sense here? It makes perfect sense. If I have something like 「ｘになれば・・後件」 then the 前件 here is the conditional. It basically means the former is used as a condition, and the latter part is the result.
    – strawberry jam
    Apr 13, 2016 at 15:40
  • @strawberry jam but where does the word "result" come in? I only see 前件, 条件, 後件. What's more, the last two terms are jammed between 前件 and 成立すること, which I can't wrap my head around...
    – rhyaeris
    Apr 13, 2016 at 15:46
  • 後件 means "consequent"
    – strawberry jam
    Apr 13, 2016 at 15:52
  • darn, i always thought 前件 and 後件 were former and latter... so 条件として後件 means the consequent as the condition...?
    – rhyaeris
    Apr 13, 2016 at 15:56
  • will think about it and post my findings at a later time.
    – rhyaeris
    Apr 13, 2016 at 16:08

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For example, the sentence "If I were a doctor, I would cure his sickness."

"If I were a doctor" is a hypothesis(前件), "I would cure his sickness" is a consequent(後件).

その前件を条件として、後件が成立する means " The hypothesis (come into effect) as a condition(条件), and the consequent come into effect."

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  • Thank you, the " 、" was helpful. I was trying to fit the 前件を with 成立する. "A を B とする/として" is something new to me. Perhaps 彼が医者として有名だ is 彼を医者として有名だ? Reference: japanesetest4you.com/flashcard/…
    – rhyaeris
    Apr 13, 2016 at 16:57
  • 彼を医者として有名だ is unnatural because を有名だ is unnatural.but 彼を医者として尊敬している is natural because を尊敬している is natural.
    – Yuuichi Tam
    Apr 13, 2016 at 17:14
  • hmm... from your reply, I gather that 前件を does link with 成立する (the hypothesis comes into effect as 条件), but 後件が also links with 成立する (the consequent comes into effect)
    – rhyaeris
    Apr 13, 2016 at 17:27
  • I just add "comes into effect" to "the hypothesis" to be understood easily.
    – Yuuichi Tam
    Apr 13, 2016 at 18:34

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