The Sorites paradox /

The sorites paradox, also known as the "paradox of the heap," is not only at the heart of the problem of vagueness but also at the center of shared problems in the philosophy of logic and language, epistemology, and metaphysics. Vague expressions such as the number of grains in a heap or the limit of hairs necessary for baldness lack sharp boundaries yet still mark distinctions. In this comprehensive and systematic collection, Oms (Univ. of Barcelona, Spain) and Zardini (Univ. of Lisbon, Portugal) provide nine excellent papers that characterize, and provide possible solutions for, the paradox's vagueness and another five papers that assess the influence of the sorites paradox's influence in philosophy, linguistics, and psychology. Every paper begins with a clear introduction to its topic and concludes with current research and open problems. A coda usefully summarizes the significant advances in understanding of the paradox in its pre-analytic history over the last 50 years. Released in the "Classic Philosophical Arguments" series, this is the most outstanding treatment of the topic presently available. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Lee C. Archie, emeritus, Lander University