dilemmassa

Dilemmassa is a Finnish noun form meaning "in a dilemma." It refers to a situation in which a person must choose between two or more alternatives that are undesirable or difficult to compare. The term is used in everyday language as well as in philosophy, ethics, literature, and decision theory, often to describe moral, practical, or strategic impasses. Dilemmas are characterized by competing considerations, a lack of a clearly superior option, and consequences that affect multiple parties.

Etymology: The Finnish term is a loanword from the English "dilemma," which itself comes from the Greek di- "two" and lemma "premise, proposition," via Latin. In Finnish, the word is typically used in its singular form dilemma, with inflected forms such as dilemmassa meaning "in a dilemma."

In usage, dilemmassa is often paired with adjectives or verbs that indicate choice or consequence, for example: "Hän oli dilemmassa: kertoa totuuden vai suojella luottamuksellista sidettä." The concept also appears in discussions of ethics, politics, and media, where decisions involve balancing conflicting duties, rights, or outcomes.

See also: Moral dilemma, ethical dilemma, decision theory, choice under uncertainty.

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