Vorläufigkeit

Vorläufigkeit, or provisionality, denotes the quality of being temporary, tentative, or subject to revision. The word is built from vor- 'before' and lauf- 'to run' (in essence, in operation), signaling something that is in effect for the time being rather than final. In common usage, it describes plans, conclusions, or arrangements that are not yet definitive and may change as circumstances evolve.

Applications span several domains. In science and scholarship, vorläufige results or conclusions are reported with caveats and are expected to be updated or corrected by subsequent work. In law and governance, vorläufige Maßnahmen or vorläufige Entscheidungen are provisional orders or decisions made to address an urgent matter while a final ruling is pending. In political and administrative contexts, transitional or interim arrangements are described as provisional until successor structures are in place. In philosophy and sociology, vorläufigkeit can denote an epistemic stance that knowledge is historically contingent, context-dependent, and open to revision.

Critically, the concept carries both pragmatic and normative implications: it enables action and inquiry under uncertainty, while also inviting vigilance against complacency or perpetual delay. The term functions as a reminder that many states of affairs are not final but are contingent on further development, evidence, or negotiation.