An approach to multiattribute decision making with interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy assessments and incomplete weights

This article proposes an approach to multiattribute decision making with incomplete attribute weight information where individual assessments are provided as interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IVIFNs). By employing a series of optimization models, the proposed approach derives a linear program for determining attribute weights. The weights are subsequently used to synthesize individual IVIFN assessments into an aggregated IVIFN value for each alternative. In order to rank alternatives based on their aggregated IVIFN values, a novel method is developed for comparing two IVIFNs by introducing two new functions: the membership uncertainty index and the hesitation uncertainty index. An illustrative investment decision problem is employed to demonstrate how to apply the proposed procedure and comparative studies are conducted to show its overall consistency with existing approaches

Time of arrival through interacting environments: Tunneling processes

We discuss the propagation of wave packets through interacting environments. Such environments generally modify the dispersion relation or shape of the wave function. To study such effects in detail, we define the distribution function P_{X}(T), which describes the arrival time T of a packet at a detector located at point X. We calculate P_{X}(T) for wave packets traveling through a tunneling barrier and find that our results actually explain recent experiments. We compare our results with Nelson's stochastic interpretation of quantum mechanics and resolve a paradox previously apparent in Nelson's viewpoint about the tunneling time.Comment: Latex 19 pages, 11 eps figures, title modified, comments and references added, final versio

A mathematical programming approach to multi-attribute decision making with interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy assessment information

This article proposes an approach to handle multi-attribute decision making (MADM) problems under the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy environment, in which both assessments of alternatives on attributes (hereafter, referred to as attribute values) and attribute weights are provided as interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IVIFNs). The notion of relative closeness is extended to interval values to accommodate IVIFN decision data, and fractional programming models are developed based on the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method to determine a relative closeness interval where attribute weights are independently determined for each alternative. By employing a series of optimization models, a quadratic program is established for obtaining a unified attribute weight vector, whereby the individual IVIFN attribute values are aggregated into relative closeness intervals to the ideal solution for final ranking. An illustrative supplier selection problem is employed to demonstrate how to apply the proposed procedure

Uncertainty representation of grey numbers and grey sets

In the literature there is a presumption that a grey set and an interval-valued fuzzy set are equivalent. This presumption ignores the existence of discrete components in a grey number. In this paper new measurements of uncertainties of grey numbers and grey sets, consisting of both absolute and relative uncertainties, are defined to give a comprehensive representation of uncertainties in a grey number and a grey set. Some simple examples are provided to illustrate that the proposed uncertainty measurement can give an effective representation of both absolute and relative uncertainties in a grey number and a grey set. The relationships between grey sets and interval-valued fuzzy sets are also analysed from the point of view of the proposed uncertainty representation. The analysis demonstrates that grey sets and intervalvalued fuzzy sets provide different but overlapping models for uncertainty representation in sets

Hybrid learning for interval type-2 intuitionistic fuzzy logic systems as applied to identification and prediction problems

This paper presents a novel application of a hybrid learning approach to the optimisation of membership and non-membership functions of a newly developed interval type-2 intuitionistic fuzzy logic system (IT2 IFLS) of a Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) fuzzy inference system with neural network learning capability. The hybrid algorithms consisting of decou- pled extended Kalman filter (DEKF) and gradient descent (GD) are used to tune the parameters of the IT2 IFLS for the first time. The DEKF is used to tune the consequent parameters in the forward pass while the GD method is used to tune the antecedents parts during the backward pass of the hybrid learning. The hybrid algorithm is described and evaluated, prediction and identification results together with the runtime are compared with similar existing studies in the literature. Performance comparison is made between the proposed hybrid learning model of IT2 IFLS, a TSK-type-1 intuitionistic fuzzy logic system (IFLS-TSK) and a TSK-type interval type-2 fuzzy logic system (IT2 FLS-TSK) on two instances of the datasets under investigation. The empirical comparison is made on the designed systems using three artificially generated datasets and three real world datasets. Analysis of results reveal that IT2 IFLS outperforms its type-1 variants, IT2 FLS and most of the existing models in the literature. Moreover, the minimal run time of the proposed hybrid learning model for IT2 IFLS also puts this model forward as a good candidate for application in real time systems

Preferences on Intervals: a general framework

I present a general framework for the comparison of alternatives to which (possibly) an interval of values is associated. Some representation theorems for the existence of the intervals are discussed as well the possibility ot explicitly take into account situations of hesitation. Some appropriate logical formalisms are discussed for such a purpose

Preference Modelling

This paper provides the reader with a presentation of preference modelling fundamental notions as well as some recent results in this field. Preference modelling is an inevitable step in a variety of fields: economy, sociology, psychology, mathematical programming, even medicine, archaeology, and obviously decision analysis. Our notation and some basic definitions, such as those of binary relation, properties and ordered sets, are presented at the beginning of the paper. We start by discussing different reasons for constructing a model or preference. We then go through a number of issues that influence the construction of preference models. Different formalisations besides classical logic such as fuzzy sets and non-classical logics become necessary. We then present different types of preference structures reflecting the behavior of a decision-maker: classical, extended and valued ones. It is relevant to have a numerical representation of preferences: functional representations, value functions. The concepts of thresholds and minimal representation are also introduced in this section. In section 7, we briefly explore the concept of deontic logic (logic of preference) and other formalisms associated with "compact representation of preferences" introduced for special purpoes. We end the paper with some concluding remarks