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Single Idea 21599

[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / L. Paradox / 6. Paradoxes in Language / b. The Heap paradox ('Sorites') ]

Full Idea

A sorites paradox is stopped when it collides with a sorites paradox going in the opposite direction. That account will not strike a logician as solving the sorites paradox.

Gist of Idea

A sorites stops when it collides with an opposite sorites

Source

Timothy Williamson (Vagueness [1994], 3.3)

Book Ref

Williamson,Timothy: 'Vagueness' [Routledge 1996], p.87

The 6 ideas with the same theme [problem with defining what makes a heap]:

1512 Zeno is wrong that one grain of millet makes a sound; why should one grain achieve what the whole bushel does? [Aristotle on Zeno of Elea]
6008 Removing one grain doesn't destroy a heap, so a heap can't be destroyed [Eubulides, by Dancy,R]
8194 Surely there is no exact single grain that brings a heap into existence [Dummett]
17583 There are no heaps [Inwagen]
9117 The smallest heap has four objects: three on the bottom, one on the top [Hart,WD, by Sorensen]
21599 A sorites stops when it collides with an opposite sorites [Williamson]