Williamson's master argument on vagueness

Synthese 138 (2):175-206 (2004)
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Abstract

According to Timothy Williamson 's epistemic view, vague predicates have precise extensions, we just don't know where their boundaries lie. It is a central challenge to his view to explain why we would be so ignorant, if precise borderlines were really there. He offers a novel argument to show that our insuperable ignorance ``is just what independently justified epistemic principles would lead one to expect''. This paper carefully formulates and critically examines Williamson 's argument. It is shown that the argument does not explain our ignorance, and is not really apt for doing so. Williamson 's unjustified commitment to a controversial and crucial assumption is noted. It is also argued in three different ways that his argument is, in any case, self-defeating – the same principles that drive the argument can be applied to undermine one of its premises. Along the way, Williamson 's unstated commitment to a number of other controversial doctrines comes to light

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Greg Ray
University of Florida

References found in this work

Vagueness.Timothy Williamson - 1994 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 46 (4):589-601.
Identity and Discrimination.Timothy Williamson (ed.) - 1990 - Cambridge, Mass., USA: Wiley-Blackwell.
Cognitive homelessness.Timothy Williamson - 1996 - Journal of Philosophy 93 (11):554-573.
Vagueness And The Sorites Paradox.Kirk Ludwig & Greg Ray - 2002 - Noûs 36 (s16):419-461.
Williamson on Our Ignorance in Borderline Cases.Stephen Schiffer - 1997 - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 57 (4):937 - 943.

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