Olettelu

Olettelu is a term used in Finnish to denote an assumption or presumption that is accepted for the sake of argument or further reasoning without requiring immediate proof. It can be explicit or implicit and is common in everyday speech, planning, problem solving, and analytical writing. An olettelu helps to frame questions, structure arguments, or explore consequences when full evidence is not yet available.

The word derives from the Finnish verb olettaa, meaning to suppose or assume. As a noun, olettelu refers to the mental act of assuming or the claim that is taken to be true for the moment. In practice, olettelu functions as a provisional premise that practitioners may later verify or overturn through evidence or analysis.

In different domains, olettelu interacts with related concepts such as hypothesis, conjecture, and presumption. In formal reasoning and mathematics, an explicit premise or axiom may serve as an olettelu to derive conclusions. In science, a hypothesis can be viewed as a structured olettelu that is tested by observation and experiment. In everyday language, olettelu often carries a degree of uncertainty and is subject to revision as new information emerges.

Careful use of olettelu involves identifying its status, examining its justification, and distinguishing it from established facts. When possible, researchers and communicators should test or qualify an olettelu rather than treating it as proven. See also: assumption, premise, hypothesis, conjecture, presumption.