Ristiriitaisat

Ristiriitaisat is a Finnish term used to describe instances of contradiction or inconsistency between statements, data, or beliefs. The word is a plural form associated with ristiriita, meaning contradiction, and is used in Finnish discourse, including philosophy, journalism, and information literacy, to refer to multiple such contradictions.

In logic, a ristiriita occurs when a set of propositions leads to a contradiction, making it impossible for all of them to be true at once. In everyday language, ristiriitaisat may appear as mutually incompatible claims within a single argument, or as discrepancies between different sources.

In media analysis and information literacy, identifying ristiriitaisat helps assess credibility and the need for corroboration. Analysts compare sources, check methods, and seek clarifying data to resolve the contradictions or explain their origin—whether due to error, bias, differing contexts, or incomplete information.

Examples include political statements that deny previously reported facts, scientific studies with conflicting results, or timelines that do not align across reports.

See also: contradiction, inconsistency, logical contradiction, cognitive dissonance, source criticism.