Understanding Tolerance in Vagueness Theory

Overview of Tolerance

In the theory of vagueness, tolerance describes a property of predicates where slight alterations in an object’s underlying characteristics do not change the predicate’s applicability. This is crucial for understanding how we deal with imprecise concepts.

Key Concepts

The core idea is that if an object sufficiently satisfies a predicate, then objects that are only minutely different will also satisfy it.

• A predicate is tolerant if small changes do not affect its justice.
• Example: The predicate “bald”.

Deep Dive: The ‘Bald’ Predicate

Consider the predicate “bald”. If a person is clearly bald, losing a single hair will not make them non-bald. This demonstrates the tolerant nature of the predicate. The transition from bald to not-bald is gradual, not abrupt.

Applications

Tolerance is relevant in areas like:

• Philosophy of language
• Fuzzy logic
• Artificial intelligence (reasoning under uncertainty)

Challenges & Misconceptions

A common misconception is confusing tolerance with indifference. Tolerance acknowledges that small changes don’t matter for a predicate’s application, while indifference might suggest a lack of concern about the property itself.

FAQs

Q: What is the opposite of a tolerant predicate?
A: A predicate that is not tolerant is often called ‘strict’ or ‘sharp’, where even a minimal change can drastically alter applicability.

Q: Does tolerance imply vagueness?
A: Yes, tolerance is a key characteristic that gives rise to vagueness in language and concepts.