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Single Idea 17582
[filed under theme 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 10. Vagueness / d. Vagueness as linguistic
]
Full Idea
Since singular terms can contain predicates, and since vague predicates are common, vague singular terms are common. For 'the tallest man that Sally knows' there are lots of men for whom it is unclear whether Sally knows them.
Gist of Idea
Singular terms can be vague, because they can contain predicates, which can be vague
Source
Peter van Inwagen (Material Beings [1990], 17)
Book Ref
Inwagen,Peter van: 'Material Beings' [Cornell 1995], p.219
The
18 ideas
with the same theme
[vagueness as indecision about word meanings]:
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17431
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Vagueness is incomplete definition
[Frege, by Koslicki]
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9051
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Since natural language is not precise it cannot be in the province of logic
[Russell, by Keefe/Smith]
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9054
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Vagueness is only a characteristic of representations, such as language
[Russell]
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19042
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Terms learned by ostension tend to be vague, because that must be quick and unrefined
[Quine]
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8180
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'That is red or orange' might be considered true, even though 'that is red' and 'that is orange' were not
[Dummett]
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9052
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Vague predicates lack application; there are no borderline cases; vague F is not F
[Unger, by Keefe/Smith]
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15538
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Semantic indecision explains vagueness (if we have precisifications to be undecided about)
[Lewis]
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9057
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Vagueness is semantic indecision: we haven't settled quite what our words are meant to express
[Lewis]
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9671
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Whether or not France is hexagonal depends on your standards of precision
[Lewis]
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16458
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Semantic vagueness involves alternative and equal precisifications of the language
[Lewis]
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17582
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Singular terms can be vague, because they can contain predicates, which can be vague
[Inwagen]
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12023
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Vagueness problems arise from applying sharp semantics to vague languages
[Forbes,G]
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9768
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Vagueness is semantic, a deficiency of meaning
[Fine,K]
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21614
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The 'nihilist' view of vagueness says that 'heap' is not a legitimate concept
[Williamson]
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21617
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We can say propositions are bivalent, but vague utterances don't express a proposition
[Williamson]
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21618
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If the vague 'TW is thin' says nothing, what does 'TW is thin if his perfect twin is thin' say?
[Williamson]
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21625
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The vagueness of 'heap' can remain even when the context is fixed
[Williamson]
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11016
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Would a language without vagueness be usable at all?
[Read]
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