Since the propositions you specify are either true or false, then, indeed, if you apply truth[1] or truth[0] to the compound propositions they will be similar if not equivalent. But in fuzzy logic we are discussing the degree to which something is a member of a class (that is, the semantics of the proposition). Now if we have fuzzy propositions, Bill is Tall Bill is Short Bill is Medium then if Bill is Tall to a degree [.12], is Short to a degree [.88] and Medium to a degree [.65] then the proposition AND or OR propositions will yield dissimilar truth functions. Because fuzzy logic does not obey the Law of the Excluded Middle, someone can be both Tall and Short and Medium at the same time -- just with different degrees of truth. This property of fuzzy set theory is important in fuzzy reasoning where fuzzy conditional and unconditional propositions (often expressed as if-then rules) are run in parallel and accumulate evidence. Thus, if height is TALL then weight is Heavy if height is Short then weight is Light if height is medium then weight is Moderate form an output fuzzy set (weight) based on the fusion of the consequent fuzzy sets (Heavy, Light, Medium) to the degree that the predicate of the proposition (or rule) is true. Fuzzy systems are highly sensitive to compound truth statements since (a) there is an often non-linear translation function between the antecedent and consequent of the proposition involving three distinct fuzzy spaces, (b) the rules are run in parallel and accumulate evidence that effectively AND's or OR's the propositions (depending on your choice of inference mechanism) and (c) the outcome of the fuzzy system reflects the amount of evidence in the supporting antecedents. You eye color logical metaphor might have been cast as, Consider the mayor of Ashtabula. Let A = "mayor's right eye is wide". Let B = "mayor's left eye is narrow". Let B' = "mayor's left eye is wide". What do you suppose is the truth value of A B ? What about A B' ? You should ask yourself, what is the truth value of B B'? These are mutually contradictory in Boolean logic, but simply represent a logical analysis of the degree to which the eye might be considered both wide and narrow (which is a real world state -- there is no point at which the width of an eye goes from narrow to wide, it is a gradual transition.) Anyway, reading introductions to fuzzy logic and then forming an opinion about the robustness of its representational power is a poor way to engage in serious debate. But you will have to take this up with other participants, I will check back in another two years to see if everyone is still debating the same issues. earl -- Earl Cox VP, Research/Chief Scientist Panacya, Inc. 134 National Business Parkway Annapolis Junction, MD 20701 (410) 904-8741 ------------------------------------------- AUTHOR: "The Fuzzy Systems Handbook" (1994) "Fuzzy Logic for Business and Industry" (1995) "Beyond Humanity: CyberEvolution and Future Minds" (1996, with Greg Paul, Paleontologist/Artist) "The Fuzzy Systems Handbook, 2nd Ed." (1998) "Fuzzy Tools for Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery" (due Early Fall, 2001) "Robert Dodier" <robertd@athenesoft.com> wrote in message news:23af61c2.0108142014.6f210d4f@posting.google.com...> In response to the following example which I posted: > >>> Consider the mayor of Ashtabula. Let A = "mayor's right eye is blue". >>> Let B = "mayor's left eye is blue". Let B' = "mayor's left eye is brown". >>> What do you suppose is the truth value of A B ? What about A B' ? >>> >>> The difficulty is that rules of the kind applied in fuzzy logic >>> ignore relations between the elements of a compound proposition. > > "Earl Cox" <earldcox1@home.com> wrote: > >> [...] I also fail to see how your example about the eye color >> addresses anything about fuzzy logic. > > I see that I left too much implied. The truth values of B and B' in the > example above are more or less equal; I don't think you'll want to argue > that point. Yet then the truth values assigned to the compound > propositions "A and B" and "A and B'" would have to be similar also, > under the truth(A and B) = min(truth(A), truth(B)) or truth(A)*truth(B), > or any other definition of truth(A and B) which is solely a function > of truth(A) and truth(B). > >> And why do you suppose (erroneously) that fuzzy logic -- fuzzy set theory >> in particular -- ignores relationships between compound propositions?? > > Well, it's from reading introductions to fuzzy logic that give > definitions of the truth value of a compound proposition in terms of > truth values of its elements. > > Any such definition must ignore the relation between elements in a > compound: if truth(B')=truth(B), then in any proposition containing > A and B, I can swap in B' in place of B, and get exactly the same > truth value for the compound; whether the elements are redundant, > contradictory, or completely unrelated doesn't enter the calculation. > > Regards, > Robert Dodier > -- > "Nature exists once only." -- Ernst Mach