Single Idea 21597

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 2. Logical Connectives / a. Logical connectives]

Full Idea

Russell says the best chance of avoiding vagueness are the logical connectives. ...But the vagueness of 'true' and 'false' infects the logical connectives too. All words are vague. Russell concludes that all language is vague.

Gist of Idea

Logical connectives have the highest precision, yet are infected by the vagueness of true and false

Source

report of Bertrand Russell (Vagueness [1923]) by Timothy Williamson - Vagueness 2.4

Book Reference

Williamson,Timothy: 'Vagueness' [Routledge 1996], p.54


A Reaction

This relies on the logical connectives being defined semantically, in terms of T and F, but that is standard. Presumably the formal uninterpreted syntax is not vague.

Related Idea

Idea 21596 Vagueness undermines the stable references needed by logic [Williamson]