Conditional commitments

Compare:

1. Assuming you pass at least one of your classes this spring, we will hire you in May.
2. We will hire you in May.

To a literalist it sounds like 2 makes the stronger commitment than 1.

But suppose that you get the lowest passing grade in one of your classes, and Fs in all the others. Then if I said 2, I could say: "Well, of course, but I was assuming half-decent performance." But if I said 1, I can't say that!

What's going on? Normally when I say what I will do, there are some unstated conditions. But when I get into the business of stating conditions, I had better list all of them, or at least all the ones that are likely to be as relevant as the ones I list.