counterfactual

coun·ter·fac·tu·al  (kountr-fkch-l)

adj.

Running contrary to the facts: "Cold war historiography vividly illustrates how the selection of the counterfactual question to be asked generally anticipates the desired answer" (Timothy Garton Ash).

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counter·factu·al n.

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counterfactual [ˌkauntəˈfæktʃʊəl] Logic

adj

(Philosophy / Logic) expressing what has not happened but could, would, or might under differing conditions

n

(Philosophy / Logic) a conditional statement in which the first clause is a past tense subjunctive statement expressing something contrary to fact, as in if she had hurried she would have caught the bus

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

counterfactual - going counter to the facts (usually as a hypothesis) contrary to fact conditional - imposing or depending on or containing a condition; "conditional acceptance of the terms"; "lent conditional support"; "the conditional sale will not be complete until the full purchase price is paid"