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THEORIES OF VAGUENESS AND THEORIES OF LAW

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2019

Alex Silk
Alex Silk*
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham
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Abstract

It is common to think that what theory of linguistic vagueness is correct has implications for debates in philosophy of law. I disagree. I argue that the implications of particular theories of vagueness on substantive issues of legal theory and practice are less far-reaching than often thought. I focus on four putative implications discussed in the literature concerning (i) the value of vagueness in the law, (ii) the possibility and value of legal indeterminacy, (iii) the possibility of the rule of law, and (iv) strong discretion. I conclude with some methodological remarks. Delineating questions about conventional meaning, legal content determination, and norms of legal interpretation and judicial practice can motivate clearer answers and a more refined understanding of the space of overall theories of vagueness, interpretation, and law.

Type
Research Article
Information
Legal Theory , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , June 2019 , pp. 132 - 152
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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Footnotes

*

Thanks to the Edinburgh Legal Theory Seminar for discussion, and to two anonymous referees for comments. This research has benefited from the support of an AHRC Early Career Research Grant and a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship.

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