2013 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
| Project/Area Number |
24520007
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
DIETZ Richard 東京大学, 人文社会系研究科, 講師 (10625651)
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| Keywords | Vagueness / Sorites Paradox / Higher-Order Vagueness / Vague Identity / Gradability / Conceptual Spaces / Uncertainty / Open Future |
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| Research Abstract |
In the last academic year (i.e., the second year of my project), I continued my work on vagueness, with the focus being on a novel approach to the philosophical problem of vagueness.
1. I worked on possible restrictions of the common conception of vagueness. The result of this project is my paper "What Vagueness Could not Be". 2. In my second project, I aimed to show that there is no need for "higher-order vagueness". The result of this project is my paper "The Possibility of Vagueness". 3. I continued my work on connections between gradability and vagueness in a conceptual spaces framework. I have been starting work on a new collaborative project with Professor Igor Douven (University of Groningen) on this problem.
Another strand of my research on vagueness is my work on vagueness in language about time.
4.In continuation of my paper "Coming True: A Note on Truth and Actuality" (co-authored with Julien Murzi), which appeared in 2013, I wrote a paper "Actuality, Vagueness, and Branching Time".
I was furthermore successful in starting some new publication projects (see 6 and 7 below).
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
1: Research has progressed more than it was originally planned.
Reason
1. I wrote my paper “What Vagueness Could not Be”. The results of this project were presented and discussed in talks at the Universities of Stockholm and Tokyo, and at the LENLS 10 Conference in Kanagawa. The paper has been submitted and is under review. 2. I wrote my paper “The Possibility of Vagueness” during the winter months in 2013-4. The paper will be soon submitted for publication. 3. During my visit to Maastricht (in July 2013), I had the opportunity to discuss with Professor Igor Douven a new project on gradability and vagueness. 4. I drafted a new paper on vagueness and time, with the title “Actuality, Vagueness, and Branching Time”. This paper was presented at conferences in Kyoto, Miyagi and Seoul. Professor Sung-il Han (Seoul National University) gave a written comment on this paper, which was very helpful. 5. I gave a 2 weeks visiting lecture series on vagueness at Seoul National University in February 2014 (8 lectures, 30 hours in total), presenting my research on vagueness. 6. I was successful in my proposal to Synthese to edit a special issue on Vagueness and Probability. I could get about 12 leading experts to contribute to this volume. The submission deadline for papers is soon. 7. I was successful in my proposal to Springer to edit a collection on vagueness. This volume is projected for the new Springer series Language, Cognition, and Mind, which is edited by Professor Chungmin Lee (Seoul National University). 8. I started discussing a book project on vagueness with the De Gruyter publishing house. They expressed serious interest.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In the final year, I aim to complete my research projects on (1) the conceptual problem of vagueness and (2) the connections between gradability and vagueness. For another, (3) I want to embark on a final important project, on the metaphysics and pragmatics of vagueness.
On (1), I will want to discuss my paper still with Professor Tomoyuki Yamada (Hokkaido University) and with Professor Kit Fine (New York University).
On (2), I plan to meet Professor Igor Douven in Maastricht some time in this academic year in order to discuss our ongoing joint project which applies a conceptual spaces framework as a tool of modeling gradability and vagueness.
On (3), I shall work on a new project on the foundations of vagueness. I plan to present my ideas to various audiences and researchers. In particular, I plan to visit some departments in Europe and in East Asia (see below).
Apart from this, I have been invited to give a course on vagueness at the Munich Summer School of Philosophy (in Munich, Germany) in end-August.
I will also proceed in my further editorial projects.
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| Expenditure Plans for the Next FY Research Funding |
本年度の残金は千円以下の端数の額であり、全体的に見れば概ね研究計画通りに使用している。
残金は千円以下であるので、少額の事務用品等に使用することになるだろう。
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