Are Social Kinds Vague and Does It Matter?
Philosophy of the Social Sciences
Published online on June 13, 2026
Abstract
Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Volume 56, Issue 5, Page 478-503, September 2026.
Vagueness is pervasive in social reality yet neglected in social ontology. This neglect stems from a widespread assumption: social kinds have mind-dependent membership conditions fixed by collective attitudes, entailing epistemic transparency—infallible ...
Vagueness is pervasive in social reality yet neglected in social ontology. This neglect stems from a widespread assumption: social kinds have mind-dependent membership conditions fixed by collective attitudes, entailing epistemic transparency—infallible ...