Offering a poorly supported claim about what might have happened in the past or future, if (the hypothetical part) circumstances or conditions were different. The fallacy also entails treating future hypothetical situations as if they are fact.
Examples:
- If you took that course on CD player repair right out of high school, you would be doing well and gainfully employed right now.
Synonyms: counterfactual fallacy, speculative fallacy, “what if” fallacy, wouldchuck