Contextualist Theories of Vagueness

Philosophy Compass 7 (7):470-480 (2012)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

During the last couple of decades, several attempts have been made to come up with a theory that can handle the various semantic, logical and philosophical problems raised by the vagueness of natural languages. One of the most influential ideas that have come into fashion in recent years is the idea that vagueness should be analysed as a form of context sensitivity. Such contextualist theories of vagueness have gained some popularity, but many philosophers have remained sceptical of the prospects of finding a tenable contextualist solution to the problems of vagueness. This paper provides an introduction to the most popular contextualist accounts, and a discussion of some of the most important arguments for and against them

Other Versions

No versions found

Similar books and articles

Semantic Accounts of Vagueness.Richard G. Heck - 2003 - In J. C. Beall (ed.), Liars and Heaps: New Essays on Paradox. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press UK. pp. 106-27.
Vagueness without context change.Rosanna Keefe - 2007 - Mind 116 (462):275-292.
Contextualism and the Principle of Tolerance.Paula Sweeney - 2014 - Grazer Philosophische Studien 90 (1):289-306.
Semantic Accounts of Vagueness.Richard Heck - 2003 - In J. C. Beall (ed.), Liars and Heaps: New Essays on Paradox. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press UK. pp. 106-27.
Vagueness and law: philosophical and legal perspectives.Geert Keil & Ralf Poscher - 2016 - In Geert Keil & Ralf Poscher (eds.), Vagueness and Law: Philosophical and Legal Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 1-20.
Vagueness and Practical Interests.Paula Sweeney & Elia Zardini - 2011 - In Paul Égré & Nathan Klinedinst (eds.), Vagueness and language use. New York: Palgrave-Macmillan.
Vagueness and Law: Philosophical and Legal Perspectives.Geert Keil & Ralf Poscher (eds.) - 2016 - Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Analytics

Added to PP
2012-08-27

Downloads
1,324 (#13,300)

6 months
153 (#27,935)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Jonas Åkerman
Stockholm University

References found in this work

Knowledge and practical interests.Jason Stanley - 2005 - New York: Oxford University Press.
Themes From Kaplan.Joseph Almog, John Perry & Howard Wettstein (eds.) - 1989 - New York: Oxford University Press.
Scorekeeping in a language game.David Lewis - 1979 - Journal of Philosophical Logic 8 (1):339--359.
Vagueness, truth and logic.Kit Fine - 1975 - Synthese 30 (3-4):265-300.
Understanding Truth.Scott Soames - 1998 - Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press USA.

View all 33 references / Add more references