From Electrical Engineering and Computer Science to Fuzzy Languages and the Linguistic Approach of Meaning: The non-technical Episode: 1950-1975

摘要

In this paper we illuminate the first decade of Fuzzy Sets and Systems (FSS) where nobody thought that this theory would be successful in the field of applied sciences and technology. We show that especially Lotfi A. Zadeh, the founder of the theory of FSS, expected that his theory would have a role in the future of computer systems as well as humanities and social sciences. When Mamdani and Assilian picked up the idea of FSS and particularly Fuzzy Algorithms to establish a first Fuzzy Control system for a small steam engine, this was the Kick-off for the "Fuzzy-Boom" in Japan and later in the whole world and Zadeh's primary intention trailed away for decades. Just in the new millennium a new movement for Fuzzy Sets in Social Sciences and Humanities was launched and, hopefully, will persist!