fictionalhypothetical

Fictionalhypothetical is a neologism describing a hypothetical scenario that is embedded within a fictional context. The term suggests an approach that blends imaginative narrative worldbuilding with analytic or speculative inquiry, aiming to test ideas while remaining within the constraints of a story, setting, or invented system.

The concept is not a formal category in philosophy or literary theory, but it is used informally to distinguish scenarios that are both imaginary and designed to illuminate real-world questions. Unlike a stand-alone thought experiment, which may exist independently of a narrative, a fictionalhypothetical relies on a specific fictional world to explore possibilities, implications, or counterfactuals that would be difficult to examine outside fiction.

In practice, a fictionalhypothetical might present a technology, social structure, or physical law within a fictional universe and then pose questions about ethics, causality, or practicality. This approach can help readers consider consequences and moral choices in a controlled, fictional setting, while signaling that the analysis is provisional or illustrative rather than empirical.

Reception of the term is informal and it lacks standardized usage. Some readers see it as a useful descriptor for narrative devices that serve analytical aims; others treat it as simply a fictional premise with hypothetical elements. When used in more formal writing, authors typically clarify that the scenario is fictional and that conclusions are interpretive, not claims about real-world possibilities.

See also: thought experiment, counterfactual, speculative fiction, worldbuilding.