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Single Idea 6889

[from 'Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy' by Thomas Mautner, in 5. Theory of Logic / D. Assumptions for Logic / 1. Bivalence ]

Full Idea

Vagueness is of great philosophical interest because it seems to be inconsistent with the view that every proposition is true or false.

Gist of Idea

Vagueness seems to be inconsistent with the view that every proposition is true or false

Source

Thomas Mautner (Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy [1996], p.585)

Book Reference

Mautner,Thomas: 'Dictionary of Philosophy' [Penguin 1997], p.585


A Reaction

This would explain why Williamson and Sorensen are keen to argue that vagueness is an epistemological (rather than ontological) problem. In ordinary English we are happy to say that p is 'sort of true' or 'fairly true'.