Keefe, R. orcid.org/0000-0002-4205-4555 (2021) Prefaces, Sorites and Guides to Reasoning. In: Walters, L. and Hawthorne, J., (eds.) Conditionals, Paradox, and Probability : Themes from the Philosophy of Dorothy Edgington. Oxford University Press , pp. 212-226. ISBN 9780198712732
Abstract
Is there an interesting relation between the Preface paradox and the Sorites paradox that might be used to illuminate either or both of those paradoxes and the phenomena of rationality and vagueness with which they, respectively, are bound up? In particular, if we consider the analogy alongside a familiar response to the Preface Paradox that employs degrees of belief, does this give any support to the thought that we should adopt some kind of degree-theoretic treatment of vagueness and the sorites? This chapter argues that it does not; indeed exploring the disanalogies contributes to a case against such a treatment of vagueness more generally. Among other views, it considers Edgington’s account of vagueness that employs a probabilistic structure of ‘verities’. It then contends that appeal to the framework of supervaluationism yields a better guide to reasoning in vague language than the degree-theoretic treatment can sustain.
Metadata
Item Type: | Book Section |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Editors: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 The Author. This is an author-produced version of a chapter subsequently published in Conditionals, Paradox, and Probability: Themes from the Philosophy of Dorothy Edgington. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | vagueness; sorites paradox; preface paradox; degrees of belief; credence; Dorothy Edgington; verities; degree theories of vagueness; supervaluationism |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (Sheffield) > Department of Philosophy (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 22 Jun 2022 08:05 |
Last Modified: | 11 Feb 2023 01:13 |
Published Version: | https://global.oup.com/academic/product/conditiona... |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1093/oso/9780198712732.003.0013 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:187905 |