Vagueness and Its Boundaries: A Peircean Theory of Vagueness

dc.contributor.advisorDe Waal, Cornelis
dc.contributor.authorAgler, David Wells
dc.contributor.otherDe Tienne, André
dc.contributor.otherHouser, Nathan
dc.date.accessioned2010-02-26T18:35:42Z
dc.date.available2010-02-26T18:35:42Z
dc.date.issued2010-02-26T18:35:42Z
dc.degree.date2010en
dc.degree.disciplineDepartment of Philosophyen
dc.degree.grantorIndiana Universityen
dc.degree.levelM.A.en
dc.descriptionIndiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)en
dc.description.abstractMany theories of vagueness employ question-begging assumptions about the semantic boundaries between truth and falsity. This thesis defends a theory of vagueness put forward by Charles S. Peirce and argues for a novel solution to the sorites paradox based upon his work. Contrary to widespread opinion, I argue that Peirce distinguished borderline vagueness from other related forms of indeterminacy, e.g. indefiniteness, generality, unspecificity, uninformativity, etc. By clarifying Peirce’s conception of borderline vagueness, I argue for a solution to the sorites paradox based upon his logical semantics. In addition, I argue for this theory against the epistemic theory of vagueness, which makes controversial claims concerning the sharp semantic boundary between truth and falsity, and against the supervaluationist theory of vagueness, which is committed to the in principle impossibility of sharp semantics boundaries for propositions with vague terms.en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1805/2101
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.7912/C2/426
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.subjectParadoxen
dc.subjectSemanticsen
dc.subjectPhilosophy of Languageen
dc.subjectSoritesen
dc.subjectVaguenessen
dc.subject.lcshPeirce, Charles S. (Charles Sanders), 1839-1914en
dc.subject.lcshVagueness (Philosophy)en
dc.subject.lcshSorites paradoxen
dc.subject.lcshParadoxen
dc.subject.lcshSemanticsen
dc.titleVagueness and Its Boundaries: A Peircean Theory of Vaguenessen
dc.typeThesisen
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