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A simple logic for comparisons and vagueness

Theodore J. Everett

pp. 263-278

Abstract

I provide an intuitive, semantic account of a new logic forcomparisons (CL), in which atomic statements are assigned both aclassical truth-value and a ``how much'' value or extension in the range [0, 1]. The truth-value of each comparison is determinedby the extensions of its component sentences; the truth-value ofeach atomic depends on whether its extension matches a separatestandard for its predicate; everything else is computed classically. CL is less radical than Casari's comparative logics, in that it does not allow for the formation of comparative statements out of truth-functional molecules. I argue that CL provides a betteranalysis of comparisons and predicate vagueness than classicallogic, fuzzy logic or supervaluation theory. CL provides a modelfor descriptions of the world in terms of comparisons only. Thesorites paradox can be solved by the elimination of atomic sentences.

Publication details

Published in:

(2000) Synthese 123 (2).

Pages: 263-278

DOI: 10.1023/A:1005283218535

Full citation:

Everett Theodore J. (2000) „A simple logic for comparisons and vagueness“. Synthese 123 (2), 263–278.