Concepts and Fuzzy Logic

The classical view of concepts in psychology was challenged in the 1970s whenexperimental evidence showed that concept categories are graded and thus cannot be representedadequately by classical sets. The possibility of using fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic forrepresenting and dealing with concepts was recognized initially but then virtually abandoned in theearly 1980s. In this volume, leading researchers--both psychologists working on concepts andmathematicians working on fuzzy logic--reassess the usefulness of fuzzy logic for the psychology ofconcepts. The book begins with two tutorials--one on concepts and the other on fuzzy logic--aimed atmaking relevant experimental and theoretical issues accessible to researchers in both fields. Thecontributors then discuss the experiments that led to the rejection of the classical view ofconcepts; analyze the various arguments against the use of fuzzy logic in the psychology of conceptsand show that they are fallacious; review methods based on sound measurement principles forconstructing fuzzy sets; introduce formal concept analysis and its capabilities when generalized byusing fuzzy logic; consider conceptual combinations; examine lexical concepts; and propose aresearch program based on cooperation between researchers in the psychology of concepts and fuzzylogic.

Radim Belohlavek is Professor of Computer Science at Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic. George J. Klir is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Binghamton University.