word usage - Can "sufficient" be used in a negative sense?


Can the word "sufficient" be used in a negative sense, i.e. relating to something that has a negative effect when augmented? Example:



These problems influence the results for sufficiently high speeds.



Since "sufficient" is a fundamental logical concept (as the logical opposite of "necessary"), I feel it shouldn't be "biased" in this way. On the other hand, maybe in linguistics it is different. The meaning of "sufficient" is equivalent to "as much as needed", so I can imagine that the "positive" nature of the verb "need" influences the meaning here.


So, can "sufficient/ly" be used in this way?



Answer



I see nothing wrong with that sentence. Here's one of my favorites you see on the internet that uses "sufficiently" in a similar manner (sometimes known as Grey's Law):



Sufficently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.



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