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Single Idea 9772

[from 'Vagueness, Truth and Logic' by Kit Fine, in 7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 10. Vagueness / f. Supervaluation for vagueness ]

Full Idea

The meaning of an expression is the product of both its actual meaning (what helps determine its instances and counter-instances), and its potential meaning (the possibilities for making it more precise).

Gist of Idea

Meaning is both actual (determining instances) and potential (possibility of greater precision)

Source

Kit Fine (Vagueness, Truth and Logic [1975], 2)

Book Reference

'Vagueness: a Reader', ed/tr. Keefe,R /Smith,P [MIT 1999], p.131


A Reaction

A modal approach to meaning is gloriously original. Being quite a fan of real modalities (the possibilities latent in actuality), I find this intuitively appealing.