Virtuality

In Thomism and similiar metaphysical theories, virtuality refers to what pertains to the mind as a way of understanding reality; which is contrasted to reality.

A virtual property or distinction is one which resides as a valid distinction or aspect of an object only insofar as the mind must divide it to understand it properly. For example, triangularity and trilaterality are not really distinct in a triangle: they are only valid ways our minds divvy up what a triangle is.