Itseselittävyys

Itseselittävyys, often translated as "self-explanation" or "self-evidence," refers to a concept in philosophy and epistemology that describes a proposition or idea that is understood to be true by its very nature, without requiring external justification or proof. Such propositions are considered self-evident because their truth is immediately apparent to any rational mind that comprehends them.

This concept is closely linked to foundationalism in epistemology, where certain basic beliefs are accepted as self-evident and serve as the bedrock for other knowledge. Examples often cited include basic logical truths like "a thing cannot be both itself and something else at the same time and in the same respect" or simple mathematical axioms. The idea is that to understand the terms of the proposition is to understand its truth.

However, the notion of self-evidence is not without its critics. Some argue that what appears self-evident can be culturally or historically conditioned, and that true self-evidence is rare or even nonexistent. Others contend that even seemingly self-evident truths might rely on implicit assumptions or definitions that could, in principle, be questioned. The debate over itseselittävyys highlights the complex nature of knowledge and justification.