totuudet

Totuudet is the Finnish term for truths, referring to statements, beliefs or propositions that correctly reflect reality or have proven factual status. The singular form is totuus; totuudet denotes multiple truths. In everyday use, totuudet can range from simple factual claims to more complex assertions about events, conditions or policies. In philosophy and science, discussions of totuudet are linked to questions about what makes a claim true and how truth can be established or justified.

The main approaches to truth in Western thought include the correspondence theory, which holds that truth consists in a correct relation between a statement and the external world; the coherence theory, which defines truth by consistency within a system of beliefs; and the pragmatic theory, which evaluates truth by the practical success of believing or acting on a claim. A deflationary or minimal theory treats truth as a semantic feature of language — the property of "being true" is not a substantial relation but a linguistic device. Finnish philosophers engage with these theories much as in other languages, applying them to science, ethics and logic.

In practice, totuudet are verified through evidence, observation, experiment and replication, especially in science and journalism. The rise of information ecosystems has highlighted tensions between verifiable facts, interpretation, and competing narratives. Discussions of totuudet often intersect with media literacy, epistemic responsibility, and, in public discourse, with debates about misinformation and truth claims in political life.