2017 Theses Bachelor's

On the Columnar Approach to Higher-Order Vagueness

Nader, Karim

Our standard conception of vagueness leads to paradoxical consequences. By defining borderline cases of vague predicates as occupying their own class, we are led to a hierarchical model of higher-order vagueness. But by considering vagueness to be epistemic, borderline cases become borderline so. Our view of higher-order vagueness becomes columnar, solving the paradoxes that the hierarchical model leads to. Susan Bobzien presents and defends the columnar approach to higher-order vagueness. By considering borderline clear cases and clear borderline cases, I will argue that it is indeed more suitable than our standard conception of vagueness.