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  1. Counterfactuals (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

    Jan 18, 2019 · Counterfactuals are conditionals concerning hypothetical possibilities. What if Martin Luther King had died when he was stabbed in 1958 (Byrne 2005: 1)? What if the …

  2. Counterfactual thinking - Wikipedia

    Counterfactual thinking is, as it states: "counter to the facts". [1] . These thoughts consist of the "What if?" and the "If only..." that occur when thinking of how things could have turned out …

  3. COUNTERFACTUAL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

    Thoughts about how an embarrassing event might have turned out differently are known to psychologists as counterfactual thinking. One approach is to consider a counterfactual: what if …

  4. Counterfactual - Definition and examples — Conceptually

    Counterfactual reasoning means thinking about alternative possibilities for past or future events: what might happen/ have happened if…? In other words, you imagine the consequences of …

  5. Counterfactual conditionals are used extensively in causal reasoning. This observation has motivated a philosophical tradition that aims to provide a counterfactual analysis of causation.

  6. COUNTERFACTUAL Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

    The meaning of COUNTERFACTUAL is contrary to fact. How to use counterfactual in a sentence.

  7. Counterfactual Thinking: 10 Examples and Definition (2026)

    Sep 21, 2023 · Counterfactual thinking refers to the cognitive process of imagining alternatives to events or situations that have transpired. It can be beneficial in some limited circumstances, …

  8. Counterfactuals - Encyclopedia.com

    Any theory of counterfactuals will be part of a general theory of conditionals, and the question arises as to what form a general theory of conditionals should take.

  9. Understanding Counterfactuals in Logic - numberanalytics.com

    May 27, 2025 · Counterfactuals are statements that describe hypothetical or fictional situations, often used to explore the consequences of events that did not occur. They are a crucial …

  10. Counterfactual Thinking: Why We Dwell on What Could Have Been

    Dec 16, 2025 · There are two types of counterfactual thinking: upward and downward. It's easy to get stuck in thinking about a past we can't change, which can distract us from the present. In …