WHAT IS FUZZY LOGIC AND WHAT

ARE ITS APPLICATIONS

Lotfi A. Zadeh
Computer Science Division
Department of EECS
UC Berkeley
URL: http://www-bisc.cs.berkeley.edu
URL: http://zadeh.cs.berkeley.edu/

Email: Zadeh@cs.berkeley.edu

October 2, 2002
 LOTFI A. ZADEH
COMPUTER SCIENCE DIVISION, DEPARTMENT
OF EECS
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
BERKELEY, CA 94720-1776
TEL: (510) 642-4959
FAX: (510) 642-1712
SECRETARY: (510) 642-8271
HOME FAX: (510) 526-2433
E-MAIL: zadeh@cs.berkeley.edu

LAZ 9/23/2002
WHAT IS FUZZY LOGIC AND WHAT ARE ITS
APPLICATIONS

L.A. Zadeh

Computer Science Division, Department of

EECS
UC Berkeley 10-2-02

URL:
http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/People/Faculty/Homepages/zadeh

LAZ 9/23/2002
LAZ 9/23/2002
 WHAT IS FUZZY LOGIC?
 in essence, fuzzy logic (FL) is
focused on modes of reasoning
which are approximate rather than
exact.
 fuzzy logic is aimed at precisiation of
approximate reasoning
 in fuzzy logic, everything, including
truth, is or is allowed to be a matter
of degree
 in bivalent logic, everything is
either true or false
 there is a fundamental conflict
LAZ 9/23/2002
 WHAT IS FUZZY LOGIC?

fuzzy logic (FL) is aimed at a formalization of modes

of reasoning which are approximate rather than exact
examples:
exact all men are mortal
Socrates is a man
Socrates is mortal

approximate most Swedes are tall

Magnus is a Swede
it is likely that Magnus is tall
LAZ 9/23/2002
 EVOLUTION OF LOGIC

 two-valued (Aristotelian): nothing is a matter

of degree

 multi-valued: truth is a matter of degree

 fuzzy: everything is a matter of degree

 principle of the excluded middle: every

proposition is either true or false

LAZ 9/23/2002
 FUZZY LOGIC
 The real world is pervaded with
imprecision, uncertainty and partiality –
especially partiality of truth, certainty
and possibility
 In the real world, almost everything is a
matter of degree. Absolutes are few and
far between
 It is this reality that is the point of
departure in fuzzy logic
 The cornerstones of fuzzy logic are
verity, possibility and probability
 The role model for fuzzy logic is the
human mind and its remarkable
capability to operate on perception-
based information without any
LAZ 9/23/2002
 REASONING WITH WORDS
Business Week 9-18-95
a lower deficit leads to a lower dollar and a higher
deficit pushes the dollar higher. Here is the logic behind
it:

A growing deficit means the government must

borrow more, pushing up interest rates. As U.S. interest
rates rise relative to the rest of the world’s, money flows
out of foreign assets and into U.S. securities, foreigners
must dump their own currencies and buy dollars.
Conversely, a decreasing deficit lowers government
borrowing and thus pushes interest rates down. As rates
fall, investors seek higher returns overseas. They sell
dollars and buy foreign bonds. The result: a depreciating
dollar.

LAZ 9/23/2002
 WHAT IS FUZZY LOGIC?

 fuzzy logic has been and still is, though

to a lesser degree, an object of
controversy
 for the most part, the controversies are
rooted in misperceptions, especially a
misperception of the relation between
fuzzy logic and probability theory
 a source of confusion is that the label
“fuzzy logic” is used in two different
senses
 (a) narrow sense: fuzzy logic is a logical
system
(b) wide sense: fuzzy logic is coextensive with
fuzzy set theory
LAZ 9/23/2002

 SOME COMMENTS ON FUZZY LOGIC

R.E. Kalman (1972)

Let me say quite categorically that there is

no such thing as a fuzzy concept, … . We do
talk about fuzzy things but they are not
scientific concepts. Some people in the past
have discovered certain interesting things,
formulated their findings in a non-fuzzy way,
and therefore we have progressed in science.

LAZ 9/23/2002
 Professor William Kahan (1975)
“Fuzzy theory is wrong, wrong, and pernicious.” says
William Kahan, a professor of computer sciences and
mathematics at Cal whose Evans Hall office is a few
doors from Zadeh’s. “I can not think of any problem that
could not be solved better by ordinary logic.”
“What Zadeh is saying is the same sort of things
‘Technology got us into this mess and now it can’t get us
out.’” Kahan says. “Well, technology did not get us into
this mess. Greed and weakness and ambivalence got us
into this mess. What we need is more logical thinking, not
less. The danger of fuzzy theory is that it will encourage
the sort of imprecise thinking that has brought us so
much trouble.”
LAZ 9/23/2002
 STATISTICS
Count of papers containing the word
“fuzzy” in the title, as cited in INSPEC and
MATH.SCI.NET databases. (data for 2001 are
not complete)

Compiled by Camille Wanat, Head,

Engineering Library, UC Berkeley, October
26, 2002
INSPEC/fuzzy Math.Sci.Net/fu
1970-1979 570 zzy 441
1980-1989 2,383 2,464
1990-1999 23,153 5,467
2000-present 7,598 1,964
1970-present 33,704 10,336

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 10/26/02

NUMBERS ARE RESPECTED—WORDS ARE
NOT

 in science and engineering there is a deep-

seated tradition of according much more
respect to numbers than to words. The
essence of this tradition was stated
succinctly by Lord Kelvin in 1883.

LAZ 9/23/2002
  “In physical science the first essential step in
the direction of learning any subject is to find
principles of numerical reckoning and
practicable methods for measuring some
quality connected with it. I often say that
when you can measure what you are
speaking about and express it in numbers,
you know something about it; but when you
cannot measure it, when you cannot express
it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager
and unsatisfactory kind: it may be the
beginning of knowledge but you have
scarcely, in your thoughts, advanced to the
state of science, whatever the matter may
be.”
LAZ 9/23/2002
 IN QUEST OF PRECISION
 The risk of a 6.0 quake—which could be more
damaging, with one-tenth the destructive power of
the October 17 quake—is 11 percent during the next
two months, the survey’s scientists say.

 The seismologists in Menlo Park say the probability

of an aftershock of a magnitude of 5 or more in the
next two months is 45 percent.

 It is very unusual for a quake of this size not to come

close to the surface. As a result, Dr. Holzer said,
geologists have begun to doubt their ability to make
reliable estimates for future major earthquakes and
to recognize active faults.
LAZ 9/23/2002
 IN QUEST OF PRECISION

Washington Analysis Corporation

(The New York Times)

 Bruce Likness, a farm equipment dealer and

long-time friend of Waletich, estimates that a
beginner needs $409,780 to $526,487 worth
of machinery to have a chance of success on
a 1,500-acre farm.

LAZ 9/23/2002
 THE QUEST FOR PRECISION

 Thomas M. Holbrook, a prominent political

scientist teaching at the University of
Milwaukee in Wisconsin, at a meeting of the
American Political Science Association in
September, 2000, predicted that Gore would
win by a landslide vote of 60.3 percent (NY
Times, 11-7-00)

LAZ 9/23/2002
THE GAP BETWEEN THEORY AND REALITY

John Cassidy commenting on the award of

Nobel Prize to William Vickrey (New Yorker,
12-2-1996)

 Vickrey died just three days after winning the

prize, but his last words on his subject
should not be forgotten. Here was a world-
renowned theorist confirming what many
outsiders have long suspected-that a good
deal of modern economic theory, even the
kind that wins Nobel prizes, simply does not
matter much.

LAZ 9/23/2002
 IN QUEST OF PRECISION

Robert Shuster (Ned Davis Research)

We classify a bear market as a 30 percent decline

after 50 days, or a 13 percent decline after 145 days.

Warren Buffet (Fortune 4-4-94)

It is better to be approximately right than precisely

wrong.

LAZ 9/23/2002
WHAT IS FUZZY LOGIC? WHY IS IT NEEDED?

 In the evolution of science a time comes

when alongside the brilliant successes of
a theory, T, what become visible are
classes of problems which fall beyond the
reach of T. At that point, the stage is set
for a progression from T to T*--a
generalization of T
Among the many historical examples
are the transitions from Newtonian
mechanics to quantum mechanics; from
linear system theory to nonlinear system
theory; and from deterministic models to
probabilistic models in economics and
decision analysis
LAZ 9/23/2002
 CONTINUED

 In this perspective, a fundamental point--

a point which is not as yet widely
recognized-- is that there are many
classes of problems which cannot be
addressed by any theory, T, which is
based on bivalent logic. The problem with
bivalent logic is that it is in fundamental
conflict with reality– a reality in which
almost everything is a matter of degree
To address such problems what is
needed is a logic for modes of reasoning
which are approximate rather than exact.
This is what fuzzy logic is aimed at. In a
sense, if bivalent logic is the logic of
measurements, then fuzzy logic is the
LAZ 9/23/2002
 THE TRIP-PLANNING PROBLEM
 I have to fly from A to D, and would like to get there as
soon as possible
 I have two choices: (a) fly to D with a connection in B; or
(b) fly to D with a connection in C

(a) B

A D
(b) C
 if I choose (a), I will arrive in D at time t1
 if I choose (b), I will arrive in D at time t2
 t1 is earlier than t2
 therefore, I should choose (a) ?
LAZ 9/23/2002
 CONTINUED
 now, let us take a closer look at the problem
 the connection time, cB , in B is short
 should I miss the connecting flight from B to D, the
next flight will bring me to D at t3
 t3 is later than t2
 what should I do?

decision = f ( t1 , t2 , t3 ,cB ,cC )

existing methods of decision analysis do not have the

capability to compute f

reason: nominal values of decision variables ≠

observed values of decision variables LAZ 7-30-02
LAZ 9/23/2002
 CONTINUED
 the problem is that we need information about the
probabilities of missing connections in B and C.
 I do not have, and nobody has, measurement-based
information about this probabilities
 whatever information I have is perception-based
 with this information, I can compute perception-based
granular probability distributions of arrival times in D
for (a) and (b)
 the problem is reduced to ranking of granular
probability distributions

Note: subjective probability = perception of likelihood

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-12-02
 THE KERNEL PROBLEM —THE SIMPLEST B-HARD
DECISION PROBLEM
time of arrival
t3 missed connection
t2
t1 •
0 alternatives
a b

• decision is a function of t 1 , t 2 , t 3 and

perceived probability of missing connection
• strength of decision

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-19-02

 MEASUREMENTS VS. PERCEPTIONS

 what we are beginning to appreciate—and

what Lord Kelvin did not—is the fundamental
importance of the remarkable human
capability to perform a wide variety of
physical and mental tasks without any
measurements and any computations.

 in performing such tasks, exemplified by

driving a car in city traffic, we employ
perceptions of distance, speed, time,
position, shape, likelihood, intent, similarity
and other attributes of physical and mental
objects.
LAZ 9/23/2002
 COMPUTATION WITH PERCEPTIONS

Dana is young
Tandy is a few years older than Dana
Tandy is ?A
Y is several times larger than X
Y is large
X is ?A

small × X + small × Y = medium

medium × X + large × Y = large
X is ?A, Y is ?B
LAZ 9/23/2002
 REASONING WITH PERCEPTIONS

simple examples

Dana is young
Tandy is a few years older than Dana
Tandy is (young + few)

most Swedes are tall

most Swedes are blond
(2most-1) Swedes are tall and blond
most Swedes are tall
most2 Swedes are very tall
LAZ 9/23/2002
 WHAT IS FUZZY LOGIC (FL) ?
fuzzy logic (FL) has four principal facets
FL/L logical (narrow sense FL)

epistemic FL/E F F.G G FL/S set-theoretic

FL/R relational

F: fuzziness/ fuzzification
G: granularity/ granulation
F.G: F and G
LAZ 9/23/2002
  The logical facet, FL/L, is focused on
logical systems in which truth is a
matter of degree – a degree which is
allowed to be a fuzzy set
 The set-theoretic facet, FL/S, is
concerned, in the main, with the
theory of fuzzy sets. Most of the
mathematical literature on fuzzy
logic relates to FL/S
 The relational facet, FL/R, is focused
on fuzzy dependencies, granulation,
linguistic variables and fuzzy rule
sets. Most practical applications of
fuzzy logic relate to FL/R
LAZ 9/23/2002
  The epistemic facet, FL/E, is
concerned, in the main, with
knowledge representation, natural
languages, semantics and expert
systems. Probabilistic and
possibilistic modes of reasoning are
a part of this facet as well as FL/L
and FL/R

LAZ 9/23/2002
 FROM NUMBERS TO WORDS

 There is a deep-seated tradition in science of

striving for the ultimate in rigor and precision
 Words are less precise than numbers
 Why and where, then, should words be used?

5. When precise information is not available

6. When precise information is not needed
7. When there is a tolerance for imprecision which
can be exploited to achieve tractability, simplicity,
robustness and low solution cost
8. When the expressive power of words is greater
than the expressive power of numbers

LAZ 9/23/2002
 VARIABLES AND LINGUISTIC VARIABLES

 one of the most basic concepts in science is that of

a variable

 variable -numerical (X=5; X=(3, 2); …)

-linguistic (X is small; (X, Y) is much
larger)
 a linguistic variable is a variable whose values are
words or sentences in a natural or synthetic
language (Zadeh 1973)

 the concept of a linguistic variable plays a central

role in fuzzy logic and underlies most of its
applications
LAZ 9/23/2002
 LINGUISTIC VARIABLES AND F-GRANULATION
(1973)
example: Age
primary terms: young, middle-aged, old
modifiers: not, very, quite, rather, …
linguistic values: young, very young, not very young
and not very old, …
µ

young middle- old

1 aged

very old

0
Age

LAZ 9/23/2002
EXAMPLES OF F-GRANULATION (LINGUISTIC
VARIABLES)
color: red, blue, green, yellow, …
age: young, middle-aged, old, very old
size: small, big, very big, …
distance: near, far, very, not very far, …
µ
young middle-aged
old
1

0 age
100

• humans have a remarkable capability to perform a

wide variety of physical and mental tasks, e.g.,
driving a car in city traffic, without any measurements
and any computations
• one of the principal aims of CTP is to develop a
better
LAZ understanding of how this capability can be
9/23/2002
 GRANULATION OF AGE

Age

µ µ
1 1

…
0 0
1 2 130 years young middl old
e-
µ refinement aged
attribute value modifiers:
1 very, not very, quite

1 2 12
…
0
1 2 12 months
LAZ 9/23/2002
 F-GRANULARITY AND F-GRANULATION
 perceptions are f-granular (fuzzy and granular)
fuzzy: unsharp class boundaries
gradual transition from membership to non-
membership
granular: class elements are grouped into granules, with
a granule being a clump of elements drawn together
by indistinguishability, similarity, proximity or
functionality
 f-granular is a manifestation of a fundamental limitation
on the cognitive ability of humans to resolve detail and
store information
 f-granulation serves two major purposes:
(a) Data compression
(a') Suppression of decision-irrelevant detail
(b) Divide and conquer
LAZ 9/23/2002
 A NEGATIVE VIEW
R.E. Kalman (1972)
I would like to comment briefly on Professor Zadeh’s
presentation. His proposals could be severely,
ferociously, even brutally criticized from a technical point
view. This would be out of place here. But a blunt
question remains: Is Professor Zadeh presenting
important ideas or is he indulging in wishful thinking?
The most serious objection of “fuzzification” of system
analysis is that lack of methods of systems analysis is
not the principal scientific problem in the “systems”
field. That problem is one of developing basic concepts
and deep insight into the nature of “systems,” perhaps
trying to find something akin to the “laws” of Newton. In
my opinion, Professor Zadeh’s suggestions have no
chance to contribute to the solution of this basic
problem.
LAZ 9/23/2002
 PRINCIPAL APPLICATIONS OF FUZZY
LOGIC
FL
 control
 consumer
products
 industrial
systems
 automotive
CFR
 decision
analysis
 medicine CFR: calculus of fuzzy rules
 geology
 pattern
recognition
LAZ 9/23/2002
EMERGING APPLICATIONS OF FUZZY LOGIC
 computational theory of perceptions

 natural language processing

 financial engineering

 biomedicine

 legal reasoning

 forecasting

LAZ 9/23/2002
 CALCULUS OF FUZZY RULES (CFR)
 syntax:legal forms of rules
if X is A then Y is B
if X is A then Y is B unless Z is C
 taxonomy: classification of rules
categorical

if X is then Y is B
qualified

if X is A then usually (Y is B)
 semantics: meaning of rules
single rule
collection of rules

LAZ 9/23/2002
 FUZZY IF-THEN RULES

 examples (free form)

simple: If pressure is high then volume is low
compound: if inflation is very low and
unemployment is very high then a substantial
reduction in the interest rate is called for
dynamic: if goal is right_turn and light is red then
stop; then if intersection is clear make right turn
fact: pressure is low
command: reduce speed if road is slippery
dispositional: usually it is foggy in San Francisco in
July and August
gradual: the more a tomato is ripe the more it is red
exceptional: a tomato is red unless it is unripe

LAZ 9/23/2002
 DEPENDENCY AND COMMAND

 Dependency

Y is large if X is small
Y is medium if X is medium
Y is small if X is large

 Command

reduce Y slightly if X is small

reduce Y substantially if X is not small

LAZ 9/23/2002
 TAXONOMY OF RULES IN FDCL

categorical (examples)
X is A (fact)
if X is A then Y is B or equivalently Y is B if X is A
if X is A and Y is B then U is C and W is D
if X is A then Y is f(A)
if X is A then Action is B (command)
if X is A and Context is B then replace X is A with X is
C (replacement)
if X is A then delete (if X is B then Y is C) (metarule)
if X is A then add (if X is B then Y is C) (metarule)
the more X is A the more Y is B (gradual)
…
LAZ 9/23/2002
 TAXONOMY OF RULES IN FDCL

 qualified (examples)
if X is A then Y is B unless Z is E (exception)
if X is A then usually (Y is B) (usuality qualified)
usually (if X is A then Y is B)
if X is A and Prob {Y is B|X is A} is C then Action is D
if X is A then possibly (Y is B) (possibility qualified)
(if X is A then Y is B) is possible α (possibilistic)
(if X is A then Y is B) is true α (truth qualified)
…
 hybrid (examples)

usually (the more X is A the more Y is B)

If X is A then very likely (Y is B) unless Z is E
…
LAZ 9/23/2002
 SEMANTICS OF SINGLE RULES

categorical
If X1 is A1 and … Xn is An then Y is B1 and Yn
is Bn
(sugeno) If X1 is A1 and … Xn is An then Y is (b0 + Σi bi
Xi)

qualified
exception if X is A then Y is B unless Z is E
truth qualified if X is A then Y is B is very true
probability-qualified if X is A then Y is B is likely
possibility-qualified if X is A then Y is B is quite
possible

LAZ 9/23/2002
 FUZZY IF-THEN RULES

 increase interest rates slightly if

unemployment is low and inflation is
moderate
 increase interest rates sharply if
unemployment is low and inflation is
moderate but rising sharply
 decrease interest rates slightly if
unemployment is low but increasing and
inflation rate is low and stable

LAZ 9/23/2002
 HONDA FUZZY LOGIC TRANSMISSION
Fuzzy Set Not Very Low
High
1 1 Close 1
High Low High
Grade

Grade

Grade
Low
Not Low

0 30 130 180 0 54 0 5
Speed Throttle Shift

Control Rules:
2. If (speed is low) and (shift is high) then (-3)
3. If (speed is high) and (shift is low) then (+3)
4. If (throt is low) and (speed is high) then (+3)
5. If (throt is low) and (speed is low) then (+1)
6. If (throt is high) and (speed is high) then (-1)
7. If (throt is high) and (speed is low) then (-3)
LAZ 9/23/2002
 INTERPOLATION

Y is B1 if X is A1
Y is B2 if X is A2
………..
Y is Bn if X is An
Y is ?B if X is A A≠ A1, …, An

Conjuctive approach (Zadeh 1973)

Disjunctive approach (Zadeh 1971, Zadeh 1973,
Mamdani 1974)

LAZ 9/23/2002
 THE “IT IS POSSIBLE BUT NOT PROBABLE”
DILEMMA—THE ROCK ON WHICH MANY CRISP
THEORIES FOUNDER
 decision is based on information
 in most real-world settings, decision-relevant
information is incomplete, uncertain and
imprecise
 to assess the consequences of a decision
when decision-relevant information is not
complete, requires consideration of all
possible scenarios
 among such scenarios, a scenario that plays
a pivotal role is the worst-case scenario

LAZ 9/23/2002
 THE DILEMMA

 worst-case scenario is possible

 what is the probability of the worst-case
scenario?
 the problem is that, in general, the probability
of worst-case scenario does not lend itself to
crisp assessment
 this problem is a rock on which many crisp
theories founder

LAZ 9/23/2002
 NEW TOOLS

computing computing
with numbers with words

CN + + + CW

IA GrC PNL
computing computing precisiated
with intervals with granules natural
language

• a granule is defined
CTP: computational CTP PTp THD
theory of perceptions
by a generalized PTp: perception-based
constraint probability theory
THD: theory of hierarchical
definability

LAZ 9/23/2002
COMPUTATIONAL THEORY OF PERCEPTIONS

 the point of departure in the

computational theory of perceptions is
the assumption that perceptions are
described by propositions expressed in a
natural language
examples
economy is improving
Robert is very honest
it is not likely to rain tomorrow
it is very warm
traffic is heavy
•in general, perceptions are summaries
•perceptions are intrinsically imprecise
LAZ 9/23/2002
 CONTINUED

 imprecision of perceptions is a
manifestation of the bounded ability of
sensory organs and, ultimately, the
brain, to resolve detail and store
information
 perceptions are f-granular in the sense
that (a) the boundaries of perceived
classes are fuzzy; and (b) the values of
perceived attributes are granular, with a
granule being a clump of values drawn
together by indistinguishability,
similarity, proximity or functionality
 it is not possible to construct a
computational theory of perceptions
within the conceptual structure of
LAZ 9/23/2002
 THE ROBERT EXAMPLE

Version 1.
My perception is that
Robert usually
returns from work at
about 6:00pm

q1 : What is the probability

that Robert is home at
about t pm?
q2 : What is the earliest time
at which the
probability that
LAZ 9/23/2002
 KEY POINT
 words are less precise than numbers
 computing with words (CW) is less
precise than computing with numbers
(CN)
 CW serves two major purposes
a) provides a machinery for dealing with
problems in which precise
information is not available
b) provides a machinery for dealing with
problems in which precise
information is available, but there is
a tolerance for imprecision which can
be exploited to achieve tractability,
robustness, simplicity and low
solution cost
LAZ 9/23/2002
 EXAMPLE

I am driving to the airport. How

long will it take me to get there?
 Hotel clerk’s perception-based
answer: about 20-25 minutes
 “about 20-25 minutes” cannot be
defined in the language of bivalent
logic and probability theory
 To define “about 20-25 minutes”
what is needed is PNL

LAZ 9/23/2002
 DEFINITION OF p: ABOUT 20-25
µ MINUTES
1
c-definition:
0 20 25 time
µ
1
f-definition:
0 20 25 time
µ
1
f.g-definition:
0 20 25 time
P
PNL-definition: B Prob (Time is A) is B

6
LAZ 9/23/2002 A time
 WHAT IS A RANDOM SAMPLE?

 In most cases, a sample is drawn from a

population which is a fuzzy set, e.g.,
middle class, young women, adults
 In the case of polls, fuzziness of the
population which is polled may reflect
the degree applicability of the question
to the person who is polled
 example (Atlanta Constitution 5-29-95)
Is O.J. Simpson guilty?
Random sample of 1004 adults polled by
phone.
61% said “yes.” Margin of error is
3%
 to what degree is this question
applicable to a person who is n years old?
LAZ 9/23/2002
 PRECISIATED
NATURAL LANGUAGE

LAZ 9/23/2002
 WHAT IS PRECISIATED NATURAL LANGUAGE (PNL)?
PRELIMINARIES

• a proposition, p, in a natural language, NL,

is precisiable if it translatable into a
precisiation language
• in the case of PNL, the precisiation
language is the Generalized Constraint
Language, GCL
• precisiation of p, p*, is an element of GCL
(GC-form)
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-14-02
 WHAT IS PNL?

 PNL is a sublanguage of precisiable

propositions in NL which is equipped with
two dictionaries: (1) NL to GCL; (2) GCL to
PFL (Protoform Language); and (3) a modular
multiagent database of rules of deduction
(rules of generalized constrained
propagation) expressed in PFL.

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-14-02

 THE BASIC IDEA
P NL GCL
description precisiation
p NL(p) GC(p)

perception description of precisiation

perception of perception

GCL PFL
abstraction

GC(p) PF(p)
precisiation
of perception

GCL (Generalized Constrain Language) is maximally expressive

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-12-02
 PRECISIATED NATURAL LANGUAGE
(PNL)
NL
GCL
generalized

precisiable p translation p* constraint

CSNL form of type
propositions r
in NL GC-form
precisiation
language
(GCL)

translation
p X isr R
precisiation
explicitation
generalized
constraint form of
type r (GC(p))

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-14-02

 GENERALIZED CONSTRAINT
•standard constraint: X ∈ C
•generalized constraint: X isr R

copula

X isr R GC-form (generalized constraint form of typ

type identifier

constraining relation
constrained variable

= (X1 , …, Xn )
may have a structure: X=Location (Residence(Carol))
may be a function of another variable: X=f(Y)
may be conditioned: (X/Y)
r := / ≤ / ... / ⊂/ ⊃/ blank / v / p / u / rs / fg / ps / ...
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-14-02
GC-FORM (GENERALIZED CONSTRAINT
FORM OF TYPE r)

X isr R

r: = equality constraint: X=R is abbreviation of

X is=R
r: ≤ inequality constraint: X ≤ R
r:⊂ subsethood constraint: X ⊂ R
r: blank possibilistic constraint; X is R; R is the
possibility
distribution of X
r: v veristic constraint; X isv R; R is the verity
distribution of X
r: p probabilistic constraint; X isp R; R is the
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-14-02
 CONTINUED

r: rs random set constraint; X isrs R; R is the set-

valued probability distribution of X
r: fg fuzzy graph constraint; X isfg R; X is a function
and R is its fuzzy graph
r: u usuality constraint; X isu R means usually (X is R)
r: ps Pawlak set constraint: X isps ( X, X) means that
X is a set and X and X are the lower and upper
approximations to X

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-14-02

 DICTIONARIES
1:
proposition in NL precisiation
p p* (GC-form)

most Swedes are tall Σ Count (tall.Swedes/Swedes) is most

2: protoform
precisiation
p* (GC-form) PF(p*)

Σ Count (tall.Swedes/Swedes) is most Q A’s are B’s

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-14-02

 BASIC STRUCTURE OF PNL
DICTIONARY 1 DICTIONARY 2
NL GCL GCL PFL
p GC(p) GC(p) PF(p)

MODULAR DEDUCTION DATABASE

POSSIBILITY PROBABILITY
MODULE MODULE
agent

RANDOM SET EXTENSION

MODULE PRINCIPLE MODULE

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 9-21-02

 PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONS OF PNL

 Perception-description language

 Deduction language for reasoning with

perceptions

 Definition language

LAZ 9/23/2002
 BRITTLENESS OF DEFINITIONS
(THE SORITES PARADOX)

statistical independence
 A and B are independent PA(B) = P(B)
 suppose that (a) PA(B) and P(B) differ by an
epsilon; (b) epsilon increases
 at which point will A and B cease to be
independent?
 statistical independence is a matter of
degree
 degree of independence is context-
dependent
 brittleness is a consequence of bivalence
LAZ 9/23/2002
 STABILITY IS A FUZZY CONCEPT

•graduality of progression from stability to

instability

•Lyapounov’s definition of stability leads to the

counterintuitive conclusion that the system is stable no
matter how large the ball is
•In reality, stability is a matter of degree

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 10-11-02

 SIMPLE QUESTIONS THAT ARE HARD TO
ANSWER

WHAT ARE THE DEFINITIONS OF:

 length
 volume
 edge
 cluster
 summary
 relevance
 density

LAZ 9/23/2002
Y
MAXIMUM ?
maximum Y maximum (possibilistic)
interval-valued

0 X 0 X
Y Pareto maximum Y
interval-valued fuzzy-interval-valued

0 X 0 X
Y
fuzzy graph
Bi
Y isfg (∑ iAi×Bi)

0 9/23/2002
LAZ X
 WHY IS EXPRESSIVE POWER AN
IMPORTANT FACTOR?
 Definition of a concept, construct or metric
may be viewed as a precisiation of perception
of the definiendum
 The language in which a definition is
expressed is a definition language

 The expressive power of a definition language

places a limit on the complexity of the
definiendum and on the degree to which
definition of the definiendum approximates to
its perception

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 08-08-02

 HIERARCHY OF DEFINITION
LANGUAGES
PNL
F.G language fuzzy-logic-based
F language
B language bivalent-logic-based
NL
NL: natural language
B language: standard mathematical bivalent-logic-based
language
F language: fuzzy logic language without granulation
F.G language: fuzzy logic language with granulation
PNL: Precisiated Natural Language
te: the language of fuzzy if-then rules is a sublanguage of PNL

e: a language in the hierarchy subsumes all lower languages

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 7-19-02
 SIMPLIFIED HIERARCHY
PNL fuzzy-logic-based

B language bivalent-logic-based

NL

The expressive power of the B language – the standard

bivalence-logic-based definition language – is
insufficient

Insufficiency of the expressive power of the B language

is rooted in the fundamental conflict between bivalence
and reality
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-8-02
 EVERYDAY CONCEPTS WHICH
CANNOT BE DEFINED REALISTICALY
THROUGH THE USE OF B

 check-out time is 12:30 pm

 speed limit is 65 mph
 it is cloudy
 Eva has long hair
 economy is in recession
 I am risk averse

…

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 08-10-02

 PRECISIATION/DEFINITION OF PERCEPTIONS
µ Perception: ABOUT 20-
1 25 MINUTES
B definition: interval
0 20 25 time
µ
1
F definition: fuzzy interval
0 20 25 time
µ
1
F.G definition: fuzzy graph

0 20 25 time
P
PNL definition: f-granular probability distributio

0
20 25 time
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 7-22-02
 DEFINITION OF OPTIMALITY
OPTIMIZATION=MAXIMIZATION?
gain g
yes unsure
ain

0 0
a X a b X
gain no gain
hard to tell

0 a b
X 0 a b c X
definition of optimal X requires use of PNL
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 7-15-02
 EXAMPLE

PNL definition of “about 20 to 25 minutes”

Prob {getting to the airport in less than about 25 min} is unlikely

Prob {getting to the airport in about 20 to 25 min} is likely
Prob {getting to the airport in more than 25 min} is unlikely

granular P
probability
distribution
likely

unlikely

Time
LAZ 9/23/2002 20 25 LAZ 7-22-02
 BRITTLENESS OF DEFINITIONS
 statisticalindependence
P (A, B) = P(A) P(B)
 stationarity

P (X1,…, Xn) = P (X1-a,…, Xn-a) for all a

 randomness

Kolmogorov, Chaitin, …
 in PTp, statistical independence, stationarity,
etc are a matter of degree

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-30-02

 STATISTICAL INDEPENDENCE
PT: PA (B)=P(B) ; PX(Y)=P(Y)
Y
PTp:
Pn

P2

P1

X
A1 A2 An

∑ Count ( Bi / Ai ) = ( Σ k1  µ Ai ( ak ) ∧ µ Bi ( b )) / ∑ k µ Ai ( a k )
∑ Count ( Bi / Ai ) ≅ ( ΣCount ( Bi )
PNL-defined
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 8-30-02
 PNL-BASED DEFINITION OF STATISTICAL
Y INDEPENDENCE
contingency table
L Σ C(M/L)
3 L/S L/M L/L
M
2 M/S M/M M/L
S Σ C(S/S)

X 1 S/S S/M S/L

0
1 2 3
S M L
Σ C (M x L)
Σ (M/L)=
Σ C (L)
• degree of independence of Y from X=
degree to which columns 1, 2, 3 are identical
PNL-based definition
LAZ 9/23/2002
 THE ROBERT EXAMPLE

LAZ 9/23/2002
 THE ROBERT EXAMPLE

• the Robert example relates to

everyday commonsense reasoning–
a kind of reasoning which is
preponderantly perception-based

• the Robert example is intended to

serve as a test of the deductive
capability of a reasoning system to
operate on perception-based
information

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 7-22-02

 THE ROBERT EXAMPLE
Version 1.
My perception is that
Robert usually
returns from work at
about 6:00pm

q1 : What is the probability

that Robert is home at
about t pm?
q2 : What is the earliest time
at which the
probability that
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 7-22-02
 THE ROBERT EXAMPLE
(VERSION 3)
IDS: Robert leaves office between 5:15pm
and 5:45pm. When the time of departure
is about 5:20pm, the travel time is
usually about 20min; when the time of
departure is about 5:30pm, the travel
time is usually about 30min; when the
time of departure is about 5:40pm, the
travel time is about 20min

• usually Robert leaves office at about

5:30pm
• What is the probability that Robert is
home at about t pm?

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 7-22-02

 THE ROBERT EXAMPLE
Version 4
•Usually Robert returns from work at about 6
pm
Usually Ann returns from work about half-an-
hour later
What
P is the probability that Ann
both Robert and
Robert
Ann are
1 at about t pm?
home

0 • •
6:00 t time

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 7-22-02

 CONTINUED (VERSION 1)
Q: what is the probability that Robert is home at t*?
12
CF(q): ∫ µ ≤ t * ( u) g ( u)du is ?P
0

µ ≤ t *
1
t*

time
0 6 pm t

PF(q): Prob(C) is ? D
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 7-22-02
 PROTOFORMAL DEDUCTION
THE ROBERT EXAMPLE
IDS p: usually Robert returns from work at about 6 pm.
TDS q: what is the probability that Robert is home at
about 6:15 pm?

5. precisiation:
p Prob {Time (Robert returns from work is
about 6 pm} is usually
q Prob {Time (Robert is home) is about 6:15 pm}
is ?D
• calibration: µusually , µt* , t* = about t
• abstraction:
p* Prob {X is A} is B
q* Prob {Y is C} is ?D
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 9-21-02
 CONTINUED

4. search in Probability module for applicable rules

Prob {X is A} is B
not found
Prob {Y is C} is D

found: Prob {X is A} is B Prob {X is A} is B

Prob {X is C} is D Prob {f(X) is C} is D

5. back to IDS and TDS

event equivalence
Robert is home at t* =Robert returns from work before t*
LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 9-21-02
 THE ROBERT EXAMPLE
event equivalence
obert is home at about t pm= Robert returns from wor
before about t pm
µ before t*
1

t* (about t pm)

0 • •
T t time
time of return

Before about t pm= ≤ o about t

LAZ
pm
9/23/2002 LAZ 7-22-02
 CONTINUED

6. back to Probability module

Prob {X is A} is B
Prob {X is C} is D
µ D ( v ) = sup g ( µ B ( ∫ µ A ( u ) g ( u )du ))
U

v = ∫ µ c ( u ) g ( u )du
U

7. Instantiation : D =Prob {Robert is home at about 6:15}

X =Time (Robert returns from work)
A = 6*
B =usually
C = ≤ 6:15*

LAZ 9/23/2002 LAZ 9-21-02