Teoreetilsetes

Teoreetilsetes is a term used in Estonian-language scholarly writing to denote the theoretical aspects or frameworks that underlie a study. It refers to the set of concepts, models, principles, and propositions that researchers deploy to interpret observations, structure analysis, and guide argumentation. The term functions as a label for the theoretical dimension of research rather than as a separate discipline, and it is often contrasted with empirical data, methods, or methodological considerations.

In usage, teoreetilsetes is formed from teoreetiline (theoretical) and is used to indicate a plural or collective sense of theoretical components within a project. It appears in phrases that situate work within a theoretical framework, such as discussions of teoreetilsetes raamistik or teoreetiliste kontseptsioonide areng. While the form is specific to Estonian grammar, its English-language equivalents are generally rendered as “theoretical aspects,” “theoretical framework,” or “theoretical underpinnings.”

The concept plays a central role in debates about theory choice, model development, and the examination of underlying assumptions. It is relevant across disciplines, including philosophy of science, sociology, linguistics, education research, and anthropology, where scholars delineate what counts as theory, how theories relate to evidence, and how theoretical perspectives shape interpretation.

See also: theoretical framework, theory, conceptual analysis, model, epistemology.