“But can I first ask: If a person said that according to their theory of the universe, at one time you have one of something, and later on you have many copies of that same thing, but there’s no particular moment in time when the one becomes the many, and that doesn’t matter because the something only has a vague, fuzzy existence… wouldn’t you think that the theory might have a few problems, or at least be missing a part?”
No. Robin implicitly offered an example: if a galaxy were to divide into two galaxies, it would be impossible to assign an exact moment when the one became two. Nonetheless, there clearly would be a time when it was one, and clearly a time when it was two.
As for the vagueness of existence, it is also vague in having an underdetermined referent. For example, does the truth of a statement exist? If so, then “exists” is underdetermined, because “truth” is underdetermined. The latter is necessary because if you attempt to give a complete definition of truth, you will fall into contradictions (e.g. “this statement is not true”.)
“But can I first ask: If a person said that according to their theory of the universe, at one time you have one of something, and later on you have many copies of that same thing, but there’s no particular moment in time when the one becomes the many, and that doesn’t matter because the something only has a vague, fuzzy existence… wouldn’t you think that the theory might have a few problems, or at least be missing a part?”
No. Robin implicitly offered an example: if a galaxy were to divide into two galaxies, it would be impossible to assign an exact moment when the one became two. Nonetheless, there clearly would be a time when it was one, and clearly a time when it was two.
As for the vagueness of existence, it is also vague in having an underdetermined referent. For example, does the truth of a statement exist? If so, then “exists” is underdetermined, because “truth” is underdetermined. The latter is necessary because if you attempt to give a complete definition of truth, you will fall into contradictions (e.g. “this statement is not true”.)