Vagueness

An Investigation into Natural Languages and the Sorites Paradox

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Reference, Logic
Cover of the book Vagueness by L. Burns, Springer Netherlands
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: L. Burns ISBN: 9789401134941
Publisher: Springer Netherlands Publication: December 6, 2012
Imprint: Springer Language: English
Author: L. Burns
ISBN: 9789401134941
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Publication: December 6, 2012
Imprint: Springer
Language: English

This work is in two parts. It began as a general investigation of vagueness in natural languages. The Sorites Paradox came to dominate the work however, and the second part of the book consists in an discussion ofthat puzzle and related problems. The first part contains a general discussion ofthe nature ofvagueness and its sources. I discuss various conceptions of vagueness in chapter 1 and outline some of the problems to do with the conception of vagueness as a linguistic phenomenon. The most interesting of these is the Sorites paradox, which occurs where natural languages exhibit a particular variety of borderline case vagueness. I discuss some sources of vagueness of the borderline case variety, and views of the relation between linguistic behaviour and languages which are vague in this sense. I argue in chapter 2 that these problems are not to be easily avoided by statistical averaging techniques or attempts to provide a mathematical model of consensus in linguistic usage. I also consider in chapter 3 various approaches to the problem of providing an adequate logic and semantics for vague natural languages, and argue against two currently popular approaches to vagueness. These are supervaluation accounts which attempt to provide precise semantic models for vague languages based on the notion of specification spaces, and attempts to replace the laws ofclassical logic with systems offuzzy logic.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

This work is in two parts. It began as a general investigation of vagueness in natural languages. The Sorites Paradox came to dominate the work however, and the second part of the book consists in an discussion ofthat puzzle and related problems. The first part contains a general discussion ofthe nature ofvagueness and its sources. I discuss various conceptions of vagueness in chapter 1 and outline some of the problems to do with the conception of vagueness as a linguistic phenomenon. The most interesting of these is the Sorites paradox, which occurs where natural languages exhibit a particular variety of borderline case vagueness. I discuss some sources of vagueness of the borderline case variety, and views of the relation between linguistic behaviour and languages which are vague in this sense. I argue in chapter 2 that these problems are not to be easily avoided by statistical averaging techniques or attempts to provide a mathematical model of consensus in linguistic usage. I also consider in chapter 3 various approaches to the problem of providing an adequate logic and semantics for vague natural languages, and argue against two currently popular approaches to vagueness. These are supervaluation accounts which attempt to provide precise semantic models for vague languages based on the notion of specification spaces, and attempts to replace the laws ofclassical logic with systems offuzzy logic.

More books from Springer Netherlands

Cover of the book Principles and Applications of Hydrochemistry by L. Burns
Cover of the book History of Ophthalmology 5 by L. Burns
Cover of the book Urinary Tract Infection by L. Burns
Cover of the book Passions in William Ockham’s Philosophical Psychology by L. Burns
Cover of the book A Dictionary of Scientific Units by L. Burns
Cover of the book Circulating Nucleic Acids in Plasma and Serum by L. Burns
Cover of the book The 8th International Conference on Knowledge Management in Organizations by L. Burns
Cover of the book Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics of Lattice Models by L. Burns
Cover of the book Continental Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion by L. Burns
Cover of the book Justice, Responsibility and Reconciliation in the Wake of Conflict by L. Burns
Cover of the book Pragmatic Aspects of Human Communication by L. Burns
Cover of the book Communicating Science to the Public by L. Burns
Cover of the book Ecology and Management of Coppice Woodlands by L. Burns
Cover of the book History of Ophthalmology by L. Burns
Cover of the book The Western European Loess Belt by L. Burns
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy