Conceptual room for ontic vagueness

Vagueness (Philosophy);Ontology

Barnes, Elizabeth ; Hawley, Katherine (Katherine Jane) ; Hawley, Katherine (Katherine Jane)

University:University of St Andrews

Department:Philosophical, Anthropological & Film Studies (School of)

关键词: Vagueness (Philosophy);    Ontology;   

Others  :  https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/348/ElizabethBarnesPhDThesis.pdf?sequence=6&isAllowed=y

来源: DR-NTU

【 摘 要 】

This thesis is a systematic investigation of whether there might be conceptual room for the idea that the world itself might be vague, independently of how we describe it.This idea – the existence of so-called ontic vagueness – has generally been extremely unpopular in the literature; my thesis thus seeks to evaluate whether this ‘negative press’ is justified.I start by giving a working definition and semantics for ontic vagueness, and then attempt to show that there are no conclusive arguments that rule out vagueness of this kind.I subsequently establish what type of arguments I think would be most effective in establishing ontic vagueness and provide some arguments of this form.I then highlight a potential worry for this type of argument, but argue that it can be circumvented.Finally, I consider the main ways that the opponent of ontic vagueness would be likely resist the arguments I have offered, and argue that these strategies of response are methodologically problematic.I conclude by claiming that ontic vagueness is a perfectly plausible ontological commitment.