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Publication Date
2023-05-15
First Advisor
Jay L. Garfield
Document Type
Honors Project
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Keywords
logic, vagueness, predicate vagueness, quantifier vagueness, non-classical logic, truth, pragmatism
Abstract
Vagueness is well-known to be a confounding phenomenon, creating paradox and propositions which seem to flaunt classical bivalence, but treating vagueness a part of language which should be explained away by logic is surprising, given its prevalence and utility in our lives. Vagueness allows for efficient expression and communication, and it is reflective of the world in which we live. Can vagueness be preserved in the face of logic, rather than being problematized? This project aims to show it can. In §1, I introduce vagueness through the Sorites Paradox and distinguish it from ambiguity, generality, and uncertainty. In §2, I examine several non-classical logics in search of a system which doesn’t problematize vagueness; however, I find these logics are unsatisfactory. In§3, I move to examine the term “heap” and introduce a new type of vagueness — quantifier vagueness — to explain heap’s confusing use and the imperfect parallels between analyses of heap and other vague predicates. In §4, I spell out why vagueness is a virtue worth preserving. And in §5, viewing vagueness as a virtue of language, I argue that we should reassess how we recognize truth (specifically in relation to vague propositions), suggesting that a pragmatic approach to truth is both reflective of how we use vague propositions and removes the need for semantically-technical calculi in response to seemingly undecidable, vague propositions.
Rights
©2023 Chloe Church. Access limited to the Smith College community and other researchers while on campus. Smith College community members also may access from off-campus using a Smith College log-in. Other off-campus researchers may request a copy through Interlibrary Loan for personal use.
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Church, Chloe, "In Vagueness We (Should) Trust: Defending the Virtues of a Linguistic 'Vice'" (2023). Honors Project, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/2553
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Comments
60 pages : charts. Includes bibliographical references (pages 57-60).