Teoriasisällöt

Teoriasisällöt is a neologism used in Finnish theoretical discourse to refer to compact groups of interrelated theoretical constructs that are used to explain a phenomenon. Because it has not achieved widespread consensus, the term can carry different meanings in different texts, ranging from a simple collection of concepts to a tightly integrated explanatory package.

Etymology and sense: The word is formed from teore- (theory, teoria) and the plural suffix -sällöt, a construction seen in some modern Finnish neologisms. Some authors interpret teoriasisällöt as "containers of theory" or "sets of theoretical elements," emphasizing the modular and bounded nature of the group.

Definitions in practice: In philosophy of science, a teoriasisällö may denote a minimal, interdependent cluster of propositions or constructs that jointly yield explanatory or predictive power. In linguistics or cognitive science, it can refer to a cluster of concepts used to model a process such as language production or decision making. Each teoriasisällö is typically described by its core components, the relations among them, and the boundary that separates it from neighboring clusters.

Status and reception: The term is not widely used in published mainstream literature and is mainly found in speculative discussions or light scholarly writing. Critics argue that teoriasisällöt risk vagueness if the components and boundaries are not clearly specified.

See also: theoretical framework, conceptual model, ontology, model-based reasoning.