MadSci Network: Computer Science |
Fuzzy Logic is a formal (mathematical) way of reasoning based on classical logic. The basis of classical logic is that you can express facts using symbols, then use "inference rules" to determine new facts that follow from the old ones. For example, one might use the letter-symbol R to signify "the car is running" and the implication-rule R->K to mean "if the car is running then the key is in the ignition." If we assume that R and R->K are true, then we can deduce that K (the key is in the ignition) is also true. In classical logic, symbols represent statements that are wholly true. Fuzzy logic allows the representation of statements that are true to some degree. This is especially useful for concepts that are subjective such as "smart" or "dangerous." In classical logic, you could only say, e.g., that a knife is dangerous.. D(knife). With fuzzy logic you could say that the knife is dangerous to a degree D(knife .50). Fuzzy logic provides rules for drawing implications from fuzzy assertions such as these. Fuzzy theory is synonymous with fuzzy logic, though it's not a technical term. Fuzzy systems are computer programs that use fuzzy logic. For more (and more technical) info, see: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/ai-repository/ai/html/faqs/ai/fuzzy/part1/faq.html
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Computer Science.