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Single Idea 9671
[filed under theme 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 10. Vagueness / d. Vagueness as linguistic
]
Full Idea
Say that France is hexagonal, and you thereby set the standards of precision low, and you speak the truth; say that France is not hexagonal (preferably on some other occasion) and you set the standards high, and again you speak the truth.
Gist of Idea
Whether or not France is hexagonal depends on your standards of precision
Source
David Lewis (On the Plurality of Worlds [1986], 4.5)
Book Ref
Lewis,David: 'On the Plurality of Worlds' [Blackwell 2001], p.251
A Reaction
This is very persuasive. It fits with my views on justification, which are to do with how high I (or more often 'we') decide to set the standards, thereby defining knowledge for that occasion. Hm. Has Lewis cracked vagueness? [P.S. NO!]
Related Idea
Idea 21625
The vagueness of 'heap' can remain even when the context is fixed [Williamson]
The
18 ideas
with the same theme
[vagueness as indecision about word meanings]:
17431
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Vagueness is incomplete definition
[Frege, by Koslicki]
|
9051
|
Since natural language is not precise it cannot be in the province of logic
[Russell, by Keefe/Smith]
|
9054
|
Vagueness is only a characteristic of representations, such as language
[Russell]
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19042
|
Terms learned by ostension tend to be vague, because that must be quick and unrefined
[Quine]
|
8180
|
'That is red or orange' might be considered true, even though 'that is red' and 'that is orange' were not
[Dummett]
|
9052
|
Vague predicates lack application; there are no borderline cases; vague F is not F
[Unger, by Keefe/Smith]
|
15538
|
Semantic indecision explains vagueness (if we have precisifications to be undecided about)
[Lewis]
|
9057
|
Vagueness is semantic indecision: we haven't settled quite what our words are meant to express
[Lewis]
|
9671
|
Whether or not France is hexagonal depends on your standards of precision
[Lewis]
|
16458
|
Semantic vagueness involves alternative and equal precisifications of the language
[Lewis]
|
17582
|
Singular terms can be vague, because they can contain predicates, which can be vague
[Inwagen]
|
12023
|
Vagueness problems arise from applying sharp semantics to vague languages
[Forbes,G]
|
9768
|
Vagueness is semantic, a deficiency of meaning
[Fine,K]
|
21614
|
The 'nihilist' view of vagueness says that 'heap' is not a legitimate concept
[Williamson]
|
21617
|
We can say propositions are bivalent, but vague utterances don't express a proposition
[Williamson]
|
21618
|
If the vague 'TW is thin' says nothing, what does 'TW is thin if his perfect twin is thin' say?
[Williamson]
|
21625
|
The vagueness of 'heap' can remain even when the context is fixed
[Williamson]
|
11016
|
Would a language without vagueness be usable at all?
[Read]
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