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Full Idea
If 'P is red' and 'P is orange' are indefinite, then 'P is red and P is orange' seems false, because red and orange are exclusive. But if two conjoined indefinite sentences are false, that makes 'P is red and P is red' false, when it should be indefinite.
Gist of Idea
Conjoining two indefinites by related sentences seems to produce a contradiction
Source
Kit Fine (Vagueness: a global approach [2020], 1)
Book Ref
Fine,Kit: 'Vagueness: a global approach' [OUP 2020], p.10
A Reaction
[compressed] This is the problem of 'penumbral connection', where two indefinite values are still logically related, by excluding one another. Presumably 'P is red and P is of indefinite shape' can be true? Doubtful about this argument.
23539 | Classical semantics has referents for names, extensions for predicates, and T or F for sentences [Fine,K] |
23541 | Supervaluation can give no answer to 'who is the last bald man' [Fine,K] |
23544 | Local indeterminacy concerns a single object, and global indeterminacy covers a range [Fine,K] |
23540 | Conjoining two indefinites by related sentences seems to produce a contradiction [Fine,K] |
23542 | Identifying vagueness with ignorance is the common mistake of confusing symptoms with cause [Fine,K] |
23543 | We identify laws with regularities because we mistakenly identify causes with their symptoms [Fine,K] |
23545 | We do not have an intelligible concept of a borderline case [Fine,K] |
23546 | Standardly vagueness involves borderline cases, and a higher standpoint from which they can be seen [Fine,K] |
23548 | Indeterminacy is in conflict with classical logic [Fine,K] |
23547 | It seems absurd that there is no identity of any kind between two objects which involve survival [Fine,K] |