A fuzzy subset A of a set X is defined by a function A: X → L, where L is typically the interval [0, 1]. This function is called the membership function of the fuzzy subset and assigns to each element x in X a degree of membership A(x) in the fuzzy set A.
In classical set theory, a subset of X can be represented by an indicator function (also known as a characteristic function), which maps elements to either 0 or 1, indicating non-membership or full membership, respectively. Fuzzy subsets generalize this concept by allowing any real value between 0 and 1, thereby enabling partial membership.
More generally, the codomain L of the membership function can be replaced with any complete lattice, resulting in the broader framework of L-fuzzy sets.2
The evolution of the fuzzification of mathematical concepts can be broken down into three stages:3
Usually, a fuzzification of mathematical concepts is based on a generalization of these concepts from characteristic functions to membership functions. Let A and B be two fuzzy subsets of X. The intersection A ∩ B and union A ∪ B are defined as follows: (A ∩ B)(x) = min(A(x), B(x)), (A ∪ B)(x) = max(A(x), B(x)) for all x in X. Instead of min and max one can use t-norm and t-conorm, respectively;4 for example, min(a, b) can be replaced by multiplication ab. A straightforward fuzzification is usually based on min and max operations because in this case more properties of traditional mathematics can be extended to the fuzzy case.
An important generalization principle used in fuzzification of algebraic operations is a closure property. Let * be a binary operation on X. The closure property for a fuzzy subset A of X is that for all x, y in X, A(x*y) ≥ min(A(x), A(y)). Let (G, *) be a group and A a fuzzy subset of G. Then A is a fuzzy subgroup of G if for all x, y in G, A(x*y−1) ≥ min(A(x), A(y−1)).
A similar generalization principle is used, for example, for fuzzification of the transitivity property. Let R be a fuzzy relation on X, i.e. R is a fuzzy subset of X × X. Then R is (fuzzy-)transitive if for all x, y, z in X, R(x, z) ≥ min(R(x, y), R(y, z)).
Fuzzy subgroupoids and fuzzy subgroups were introduced in 1971 by A. Rosenfeld.567
Analogues of other mathematical subjects have been translated to fuzzy mathematics, such as fuzzy field theory and fuzzy Galois theory,8 fuzzy topology,910 fuzzy geometry,11121314 fuzzy orderings,15 and fuzzy graphs.161718
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