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Chapter 1 From Crisp to Fuzzy sets

1.1. Introduction
Uncertainty
-- Arising from imprecision, vagueness
non-specificity, inconsistency
Traditional view:
-- Uncertainty is undesirable and should be
avoided.
Modern view:
-- Uncertainty is not only an unavoidable
plague, but it has a great utility.
Traditionally, three key characteristics are to be
minimized in order to maximize system
performance
complexity

incredibility
uncertainty

Although undesirable when considered alone,
uncertainty becomes valuable when considered
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together with the other characteristics

e.g., allowing more uncertainty tends to
(a) reduce complexity
(b) increase credibility
Transition of views
Newtonian mechanics precise laws,
analytic methods
Statistical mechanics probability theory
Fuzzy mechanics theories of uncertainty
Analytic methods
(a) Base on calculus
(b) Involve a small number of variables
that are related to one another in a
predictable way.
Statistical methods
(a) Base on probability theory
(b) Specific manifestations of microscopic
entities are replaces with their statistical
averages, which are connected with
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appropriate macroscopic variables.

(c) Involve a large number of variables and a
high degree of randomness.

1.2. Crisp Sets

Methods for describing sets
1. Enumeration A {a1 , a2 ,....., an }
2. Description A {x | p( x)}
3. Characteristic function
1 x A
mA ( x)
0 x A
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Power sets of AP(A)

Second order power set of A P 2 ( A) P( P( A))
Higher order power set of A P 3 ( A), P 4 ( A)
Relative complement (difference) AB
Absolute complement U B B
General principle of duality
, ,
U , ,
Fundamental properties of set operations
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Example:
Show DeMorgans laws A B A B
show 1) A B A B
2) A B A B
(1) Show A B A B
Let S A B and T A B
Show A B A B show S T
show x S x T
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Given x S => x A B
=> x A B => x A x B
=> x A x B => x A B T
S T

Similarly, T S (Assignment 1)
so ST
(2) Show A B A B (Assignment 2)
Partial order
Let X {a, b, c}
Let P( X ) be the power set of X ignoring the
empty set .
P( X ) {{a},{b},{c},{a, b},{a, c},{b, c},{a, b, c}}

( P( X ), ) forms a partial order, i.e., transitive ,

anti-symmetric (no loop) , reflective
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Arrows ( ) represent inclusion ( )

Lattice
is formed by a partial ordering and for
every pair A, B P ( X ) , exists an LUB
(supremum , join , A B ) and a GLB
(infimum , meet , A B ).
P( X ), P ( X ), ,

Boolean Lattice Boolean algebra

e.g., ( A B iff A B B or A B A )

Partition: ( A) { Ai | i I , Ai A}
i) Ai
ii) Ai Aj
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iii) UA A
iI
i

Refinement relation :
Let 1 , 2 be 2 partitions of A.
If Ai1 one and only one A j s.t. Ai Aj
2 1 2

=> 1 is a refinement of 2

1 2
Let ( A) be the set of all partitions of A
( A), forms a lattice (partition lattice).
Nested family:
A = { A1 , A2 ,.............., An } if Ai Ai 1
A1 : innermost set, An : outermost set
Convex set A:
r , s A , and [0,1]
t r (1 ) s A
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Any set defined by a single interval of real

number is convex
Any set defined by more than one separate
interval can not be convex
For a partial ordering on A
i) An upper bound r of A :
x A, x r
ii) A lower bound s of A :
x A s x
iii) r is a lowest upper bound (LUB) of A :
iff (a) r is an upper bound of A
(b) no a r is an upper bound of A
s is a greatest lower bound (GLB) of A
iff (a) s is a lower bound of A
(b) no b s is a lower bound of A
iv) Supremum r: sup A
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iii) (a), (b) and r A

Infimum s: inf A
iii) (a), (b) and s A
1.3 Fuzzy Sets: Basic Types
Fuzzy sets
Sets with vague boundaries
Membership of x in A is a matter of degree
to which x is in A
Utilization of fuzzy sets
(1) Representation of uncertainty
(2) Representation of conceptual entities
e.g., expensive, close, greater, sunny, tall
Fuzzy Sets Crisp Sets
membership characteristic
function function
A : X [0,1] mA : X {0,1}

e.g.,
1
i) close to 0 : A ( x)
1 10 x 2
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2
1
ii) very close to 0 : A ( x) 2
1 10 x
1
iii) close to a : A ( x)
1 10( x a ) 2

Difference between crisp, random, and fuzzy

variables:
Crisp variable: a uniform probability
distribution
Random variable: a probability distribution
Fuzzy variable: a membership function
is associated with its domain.
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Generalization
i) Ordinary fuzzy sets: A : X [0,1]
Abbreviated as A : X [0,1] .
i.e., Each element of X is assigned a
particular real number (i.e., precise
membership grades).
ii) L-fuzzy sets: A : X L , where L is a partial
order set.
iii) Intervalvalued fuzzy sets: A : X ([0,1]) ,
where ([0,1]) is the family of all closed
interval in [0,1].
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iv) Fuzzy sets of type-K

-- Intervalvalued fuzzy sets possess
fuzzy Intervals
(a) Type-2: A : X ([0,1]) , where
([0,1]) : fuzzy power set of [0,1], the

set of all ordinary fuzzy sets

defined on [0,1].

(b) Type-3
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v) Level-K fuzzy sets

-- Elements in a universal set are
themselves fuzzy sets.
(a) Level-2: A : ( X ) [0,1]
e.g., fuzzy set x is close to r
x : a fuzzy variable
r : a particular number , e.g., 5.

(b) Level 3:
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vi) Combinations of interval-valued, L,

type-K, level-K fuzzy sets.
1.4 Fuzzy Sets: Basic Concept
Example: 3 fuzzy sets defined on age.
A1 : young, A2 :middle-aged, A3 : old

Membership functions:
1 x 20

A1 ( x ) (35 x ) /15 20 x 35
0 x 35

0 x 20 or x 60
( x 20) /15 20 x 35

A2 ( x)
(60 x) /15 45 x 60
1 35 x 45
0 x 45

A3 ( x) ( x 45) /15 45 x 60
1 x 60

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-cut A : A {x | A( x) }

1
If 1 2 A 2 A

Strong -cut
A:

A {x | A( x) }
e.g.,
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A1 [0,35 15 ]

A2 [15 20, 60 15 ] (0,1]

A3 [15 45,80]

A1 (0,35 15 )

A2 (15 20, 60 15 ) [0,1)

A3 (15 45,80)

Level set ( A)
( A) { | x X , s.t A( x) }

or { | A }
e.g.,
Continuous case ---
( A1 ) ( A2 ) ( A3 ) [0,1]

Discrete case ---

( D1 ) {0 , 0.13 , 0.27 , 0.4 , 0.5 , 0.67 , 0.8 , 0.93 , 1}

Support
S ( A) = [x X | A( x ) 0]
S ( A) 0
A , e.g., S ( D2 ) {22, 24,
,58}
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Core 1 A (i,e, 1 - cut)

Hight h(A)the largest membership grade

h( A) sup A( x)
xX
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Normalh(A) = 1
Subnormalh(A) < 1
Convex fuzzy set
(0,1] , -cut is convex

Theorem 1.1: A convex fuzzy set on R

iff x1 , x2 R , [0,1] ,
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A( x1 (1 ) x2 ) min [ A( x1 ), A( x2 )]

Proof
i, ( ) Given A : convex ,
x1, x2 , Let a = min[A(x1), A(x2 )]
x1, x2 a A
Q A : convex a A convex
[0,1], x x1 (1 ) x2 a A
(definition of convex set)
A( x) a min[ A( x1 ), A( x2 )]
ii, ( )
x1, x2 , Given A( x1 (1 ) x2 )
min[ A( x1), A( x2 )]
(Show that (0,1] , A : convex )
x1, x2 , , s,t.
A(x1) , A(x2 ) (i,e., x1,x2 A) (1)
Q [0,1]
A( x1 (1 ) x2 ) min[ A( x1), A( x2 )]
min( , ) ,
i.e., x1 (1 ) x2 A (2)
(1), (2) A : convex A : convex

Fuzzy Set Operations

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Standard complement A( x) 1 A( x)
Equilibrium points A( x) A( x)
A( x) A( x) 1 A( x) 2 A( x) 1 A( x) A( x) 0.5
Standard intersection ( A B)( x) min[ A( x), B( x)]
Standard union: ( A B)( x) max[ A( x), B( x)]

Difference A B A B min( A( x),1 B ( x))

Symmetric difference AVB ( A B ) ( B A)

Example:
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Example: A1 A3 ?
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A1 A3 not young and not old

A2 middle age
Any fuzzy power set P(X) with form a
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lattice, referred to as a De Morgan lattice

(De Morgan algebra)
In such a lattice ,
A, B P ( X ) ,
join A B (LUB, supremum)
meet A B (GLB, infimum)
This lattice possesses all the properties (Table
1.1) of the Boolean lattice (or Boolean
algebra) except the laws of contradiction (
A A ) and exclusive middle ( A A X )
Verify A A (law of contradiction) is
violated for fuzzy sets,
i.e., Show x min{ A( x),1 A( x)} 0
e.g.,
A( x) 0.3 1 A( x) 0.7
min{0.3, 0.7} 0.3 0

Verify A ( A B ) A (law of absorption)

i.e., Show
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x max{ A( x), min{ A( x), B ( x)}} A( x)

x
i, if A(x) B(x) ,
min[A(x) , B(x)] = A(x) and
max[A(x), B(x)] = A(x)
ii, if A(x) > B(x) ,
min[A(x) , B(x)] = B(x) and
max[A(x) , B(x)] = A(x)

Fuzzy set inclusion (subset)

A B iff x , A( x) B ( x )

A B A, A B B

Description of fuzzy sets with finite supports

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i, Finite universersal set X (discrete case)

a1 a2 an
A ....
x1 x2 xn
ai
or A
xi Supp ( X ) xi
, ai A( xi )

ii, X is an interval of real numbers (continuous

case)
A( x)
A
X
x

Scalar cardinality (or sigma count) | A |

| A | A( x)
xX

Fuzzy cardinality
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Fuzzy number: convex, normalized fuzzy set

Fuzzy cardinality | A |
--- a fuzzy number define on N whose
membership function is
A | A | (| A |)


or | A |
A | A |

the degree to which fuzzy set A
| A|
contain the number of members ,
| A | , is
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Example
Xcrisp universal set
X = {5 , 10 , 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80}
Fuzzy sets labeled as
infant , adult , young , old
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Consider Fuzzy set labeled old

Scalar cardinaliity:
|old| 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.4
0.6 0.8 1 1 4.1
Fuzzy cardinality:
Q {0,0.1,0.2,0.4,0.6,0.8,1}
old

when
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= 0.1, old {20,30, 40,50, 60, 70,80}

0.1

| 0.1 old| 7
= 0.2, 0.2
old {30, 40,50, 60, 70,80}
| 0.2 old| 6
= 0.4, 0.4
old {40,50, 60, 70,80}
| 0.4 old| 5
= 0.6, 0.6
old {,50, 60, 70,80}
| 0.6 old| 4
= 0.8, 0.8
old {60, 70,80}
| 0.8 old| 3
= 1, old {70,80}
1

| 1 old| 2
| 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
| old
7 6 5 4 3 2

Degree of subsethood , S(A,B) , of A in B

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| A B |
S ( A, B )
| A|

1
S ( A, B ) (| A | max{0, A( x) B ( x )})
| A| x X

1
= (| B | max{0, B( x) A( x)})
| A| x X

1
= ( min{ A( x), B( x)})
| A | xX

Distances between fuzzy sets

Xuniversal set containing n elements
A, Bfuzzy sets defined on X
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a1 a a
A 1 n
x1 x2 xn
b1 b2 bn
B
x1 x2 xn
0 ai , bi 1
From A PA (a1 , a2 ,
, an )
From B PB (b1 , b2 ,
, bn )
In an n-D space ,

d ( A, B ) | A( x ) B ( x) |
x X

d ( A, B ) d ( B, A)
The n-cube represents the fuzzy power set (X)
The vertices represents the crisp power set P(X)
Scalar cardinality |A| = d(A,):
Probability distributions are represented by sets
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whose cardinality is 1 (Q Pi 1) the set of all

probability distributions is represented by a (n-
1)-D simplex of the n-cube (Q Pi 1)
Assignment
1.8 , 1.10 , 1.11 (1996), 1.4 , 1.6 , 1.13 (1997)
1.12 , 1.14 (1998), 1.7 , 1.9 , 1.15 (2000)