The Argument from Vagueness

Universalism is the thesis that composition is unrestricted: for any non-overlapping objects, those objects compose something. One of the most influential arguments for universalism is the argument from vagueness, first advanced by David Lewis and later elaborated and defended by Theodore Sider. I supply a reconstruction of the argument and survey a variety of responses to it

Epistemology · Fuzzy logic · Linguistics · Mereology · Political science · Universalism · Vagueness · Computer Science · Law · Philosophy · Philosophy and Theoretical Science · Philosophy, Science, and History · Pragmatism in Philosophy and Education · Artificial Intelligence

• The Sorites Paradox

  Open Access•Sergi Om, Elia ca /21 Jh Zardini et al.•Sorites Paradox•2019

  Incluir item

• Expansionism and Mereological Universalism

  Open Access•Gabriele Lando•Theoria•2020

  Incluir item

• Vagueness & Modality—An Ecumenical Approach

  Open Access•Jon Erling Litland, Juhani Yli‐vakkuri•Philosophical Perspectives•2016

  Incluir item

• Identity universalism and ontological explosion

  Open Access•Raul Saucedo•Synthese•2025

  Incluir item

• Against the status response to the argument from Vagueness

  Open Access•David Mark Kovacs•Synthese•2022

  Incluir item

• Mereomodal partialhood and fractional counting

  Open Access•Massimiliano Carrara, Gabriele Lando•Philosophical Studies•2025

  Incluir item

• Varieties of plenitude

  Open Access•Maegan Fairchild•Philosophy Compass•2020

  Incluir item

• Four-Dimensionalism

  Theodore Sider•Four-dimensionalism•2001

  Incluir item

• Real Natures and Familiar Objects

  Crawford L Elder•Real Natures and Familiar Objects•2004

  Incluir item

• Ordinary Objects

  Amie L Thomasson•Ordinary Objects•2007

  Incluir item

• The Metaphysics of Everyday Life

  Open Access•Lynne Rudder Baker•Metaphysics of Everyday Life•2007

  Incluir item

• On Quantifier Domain Restriction

  Open Access•Jason Stanley, Zoltan Szabo et al.•Mind & Language•2000

  Incluir item

• Composition as a Fiction

  Gideon Rosen, Cian Dorr•The Blackwell Guide to Metaphysics•2002

  Incluir item

• The Oxford Handbook of Metaphysics

  Michael J Loux, Dean W Zimmerman•The Oxford Handbook Of Metaphysics•2005

  Incluir item

• Metaphysical Essays

  John Hawthorne•Metaphysical essays•2006

  Incluir item

• VII-Vagueness and Existence

  Katherine Hawley•Proceedings of the Aristotelian…•2002

  Incluir item

• The ontology of physical objects

  Mark Heller•Ontology of Physical Objects•1990

  Incluir item

• A Materialist Metaphysics of the Human Person

  Hud Hudson•Materialist Metaphysics of the…•2001

  Incluir item

• In Defense of the Simplest Quantified Modal Logic

  Bernard Linsky, Edward N Zalta•Philosophical Perspectives•1994

  Incluir item

• When Are Objects Parts

  Peter Van Inwagen•Philosophical Perspectives•1987

  Incluir item

• Mereological vagueness and existential vagueness

  Open Access•Maureen Donnelly, Maureen P Donnelly•Synthese•2009

  Incluir item

• Four-Dimensionalism

  Theodore Sider•The Philosophical Review•1997

  Incluir item

• Universalism, Four Dimensionalism, and Vagueness

  Hud Hudson•Philosophy and Phenomenological…•2000

  Incluir item

• "Could Extended Objects Be Made Out of Simple Parts? An Argument for "Atomless Gunk

  Dean W Zimmerman•Philosophy and Phenomenological…•1996

  Incluir item

• Ontic Vagueness and Metaphysical Indeterminacy

  Open Access•J Robert G Williams•Philosophy Compass•2008

  Incluir item