That is a modernist tool, a stepping stone to ecuмenism.
The Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith, under Blessed Pius X, in 1907, in answer to a question as to whether Confucius could have been saved, wrote:
“It is not allowed to affirm that Confucius was saved. Christians, when interrogated, must answer that those who die as infidels are damned”.
You've "met" poche before, right?
"But you can't judge the state of his soul! He coulda (insert some vague, internal forum "mysterium perfide" here)!"
"We don't
know that he died as an infidel! He could have been saved at death!"
(Yeah, I know... the old "saved at death" schtick)