presupposition

something taken as being true or factual and used as a starting point for a course of action or reasoning <the cynic's presupposition that everyone acts out of purely selfish motives> Synonyms given, hypothetical, if, postulate, premise (also premiss), presumption, assumption, suppositionRelated Words hypothesis, proposition, theory, thesis; axiom, truism, verity; belief, canon, doctrine, dogma, gospel, law; precept, principle, rule, standard, tenet; basis, foundation, ground; conclusion, deduction, inference; affirmation, assertion, avouchment, declaration; dictum, ipse dixit