Is conceptual vagueness an asset? Arguments from philosophy of science applied to the concept of resilience

► The methodological arguments in favor and against conceptual vagueness are presented. ► A trade-off between vagueness and precision exists. ► The trade-off may be solved differently depending on the research context. ► The implications of this methodological discussion are exemplified via concepts of resilience. ► I suggest “resilience thinking” explicitly distinguishes descriptive, evaluative and transformative aspects.