Author Description
Vagueness is the study of concepts that admit borderline cases. The epistemology of vagueness concerns attitudes we should have towards propositions we know to be borderline. On this basis Andrew Bacon develops a new theory of vagueness in which vagueness is fundamentally a property of propositions, explicated in terms of its role in thought.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the nature of vagueness by proposing that it is fundamentally a property of propositions rather than objects or language. Andrew Bacon, a philosopher specializing in logic and metaphysics, constructs a formal framework that addresses how agents should navigate borderline cases. By shifting the focus from semantic indeterminacy to the epistemology of thought, the author provides a rigorous account of how vague concepts function within rational belief systems.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A formal theory of vagueness centered on propositional logic
- Analysis of borderline cases and their role in human cognition
- Epistemological frameworks for managing uncertainty in belief
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a comprehensive history of all theories of vagueness
- Focuses primarily on formal logic rather than linguistic or sociological applications
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Philosophers and logicians frequently note the technical density of the prose, which requires a strong background in formal logic to fully grasp. Experts highlight this work as a significant contribution to contemporary debates regarding the intersection of epistemology and the philosophy of language.
Page Count:
384
Publication Date:
2015-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
019178026X
ISBN-13:
9780191780264
Philosophy
Metaphysics
Epistemology
Logic