As a Latin term, it occurs in the work of Boethius, and originated in Aristotelian expressions. In recent times it has passed from a merely legal usage to a more general usage in many languages, including English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, etc. In Classical Latin the correct form uses the word condicio, but nowadays the phrase is sometimes found to be used with conditio, which has a different meaning in Latin ("foundation"). The phrase is also used in economics, philosophy and medicine.

An example of the term's usage was annotated in H.W. Brand's biography of Andrew Jackson. The book included a toast given by Jackson on the occasion of his receiving an honorary doctorate from Harvard University. The President responded to his listeners, "E pluribus unum, my friends. Sine qua non." A recent example come from Javier Solana who said that the arrest of Radovan Karadžić was a sine qua non condition for Serbia joining the European Union and "it has been a very important step to move closer to Europe".

It also appears in the commentary on Article 59 of the Fourth Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians during a time of war. In this case the sine qua non refers to the assurance that relief aid will go to the civilian population and not be diverted towards "the benefit of the Occupying Power.. The term was similarly used in a war context when referenced by the incumbent European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana who stated at the time of the arrest of Radovan Karadžić that this was a sine qua non condition for Serbia joining the European Union and "it has been a very important step to move closer to Europe".

References

Plot

Survivor Count: 39,674

The episode continues from the previous episode Guess What's Coming to Dinner? with the mortally injured Cylon Natalie being taken to the sickbay. After seeing visions of green trees, she dies. President Laura Roslin visits the cylon baseship accompanied by half of the pilots. After the hybrid is plugged in, the baseship immediately jumps away to unknown coordinates. The Quorum must find a replacement for Roslin, who is assumed kidnapped, but Admiral William Adama refuses to support Vice President Tom Zarek for this role. The Quorum can elect a temporary president, so Lee Adama solicits the help of a reluctant Romo Lampkin in choosing the best candidate.

Lt. Sharon "Athena" Agathon is questioned by Admiral Adama in his quarters regarding why she shot Natalie. Athena confesses to Adama about the visions she had of Natalie and Gaius Baltar taking away her half-human, half-Cylon child, Hera. She is sent to the brig.

Admiral Adama must now both protect the fleet and find the rebel basestar with Roslin, half the vipers and half the "jocks" (combat pilots) on board. He orders Colonel Saul Tigh to interrogate Caprica-Six in the brig to try to get information from her about the "hub" (the nexus which coordinates the operations of all Cylon resurrection ships). Tigh's interrogation/liaison is interrupted when a badly damaged missing raptor jumps into contact range. The pilot, Lieutenant Pike, is found dead but the raptor's flight data recorder shows where its jump had originated. Adama's copy of "Searider Falcon" is also recovered, indicating it's the same ship Roslin took to the rebel Basestar. A raptor scouting mission to those coordinates finds the remains of a battle with a destroyed Cylon Basestar, Viper and what is assumed to be the hub. Adama does not believe the destroyed Basestar was the rebels' ship with Roslin on board, and he orders 4 raptors to remain there in case it returns.

Lee Adama and Lampkin are getting nowhere in finding a suitable replacement for President Roslin, crossing off one name after the other from the list of potential candidates. Lampkin thinks the task is hopeless.

Admiral Adama meets with Colonel Tigh in his cabin and confronts him with the infomation that he knows about Tigh's “meetings” with Caprica-Six in the brig with the cameras turned off. Adama reveals to Tigh that Caprica-Six is pregnant. Tigh, in shock, does not deny that he is the father; Adama accuses him of betrayal. Tigh in turn accuses Adama of risking the whole fleet by searching for Roslin. Angers explode and a short but brutal fight ensues between the two men, but the old friends soon stop and accept their unusual emotional predicaments.

Admiral Adama orders the search to continue, much to Starbuck’s dismay; she calls it a "suicide mission".

All the names on the list of potential presidential candidates have been eliminated, but Lampkin realizes that there is only one name who could possibly replace Roslin even if it was not on the list. He then sets off to find the man - Lee Adama. After finding Lee, Romo congratulates him on his successful candidacy, but Lee explains he was never a candidate. Lampkin does not listen and pulls a gun on him. Lampkin is distraught because he lost his wife during the attack on the colonies and does not believe humanity deserves to have a president who gives such hope as Lee would. Lee Adama convinces Lampkin that there is hope and that he will make a difference. Lee is sworn in as acting President.

Admiral Adama will no longer risk his remaining pilots or the fleet in looking for Roslin, and hands over command of the Galactica to Tigh. The Admiral takes a Raptor and remains behind. While he waits, he reads the charred copy of Searider Falcon which was recovered from the damaged Raptor.

External links

• Sine Qua Non at Battlestar Wiki
• Sky One Battlestar page