counterfactual

Psychologists call this awareness of what might have been “counterfactual thinking.”

For anyone who ever thought it was glamorous to die young, Reed was the counterintuitive counterfactual.

His counterfactual musings don't provide any practicable, coherent or implementable alternatives.

But let's consider a counterfactual: Republicans double down.

It will depend upon the counterfactual—who is the other person.