Jälkiviisaus

Jälkiviisaus is a Finnish word that translates to hindsight or afterwit. It describes the human tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that one would have been able to predict or prevent it. It's the feeling of knowing what should have been done or what would have happened, but only after the fact.

This phenomenon is a common cognitive bias. Once the outcome of a situation is known, it often appears more predictable than it actually was. This can lead to an overestimation of one's ability to forecast future events. Jälkiviisaus can manifest in various aspects of life, from personal decisions to historical analysis. For instance, after a stock market crash, people might claim they saw it coming, even if they didn't take any action to prepare.

The concept of jälkiviisaus highlights the role of outcome knowledge in shaping our perception of past events and our confidence in future predictions. It's a reminder that judging past decisions with the benefit of hindsight can be misleading, as the uncertainties and information available at the time of the decision are often forgotten. Understanding this bias can help individuals make more objective assessments of past events and improve their decision-making processes by recognizing the limitations of their own foresight.