Olemuslikel

Olemuslikel is a term that has emerged in Estonian-speaking philosophical discourse to denote a focus on essence or essential properties within theories of ontology and identity.

It is formed from the Estonian noun olemus (essence, being) and the suffix -lik, which marks a property or quality, with inflected forms such as -el in usage.

In this sense, olemuslikel refers to arguments, theories, or descriptions that ground meaning or identity in essential properties rather than contingent features. It is often contrasted with anti-essentialist or nominalist positions.

The term is relatively new and is primarily used within Estonia and among Estonian-speaking scholars. Outside those circles, it is encountered mainly as a linguistic marker of a particular ontological stance.

Example usage might describe a olemuslikel account of personal identity, arguing that a person's persistence over time is secured by essential properties rather than mutable traits.

Related concepts include essentialism and ontology, while criticisms focus on the difficulty of defining essence and the risk of reifying natural kinds.