Modeling Uncertainty and Imprecision in Nonmonotonic Reasoning using Fuzzy Numbers

Modern applications of artificial intelligence in decision support systems, plan generation systems require reasoning with imprecise a nd uncertain information. Logical frameworks based on bivalent reasoning are not suitable for such applications, because the set {0, 1} cannot capture the vagueness or uncertainty of underlying proposition. Though fuzzy log ic-based systems can represent imprecise linguistic information by ascribi ng membership values to attributes (or truth values to propositions) taken fr om the interval 1 [0,1], but this graded valuation becomes inadequate if the p recise membership can not be determined due to some underlying uncerta inty. This uncertainty may arise from lack of complete information or f rom lack of reliability of source of information or lack of unanimity amon g rational agents in a multi-agent reasoning system or from many other reasons . This uncertainty with respect to the assignment of membership degr ees is captured by assigning a range of possible membership values, i.e. by a ssigning an interval.