Application of fuzzy logic in the assurance sciences

The uncertainty which manifests itself in most engineering design analyses and evaluation activities is of two types. Uncertainty as a result of randomness and uncertainty as a result of imprecision. While probability theory has been used to address stochastic uncertainty very effectively, the theory of fuzzy subsets and fuzzy logic (possibility theory) offers a method to explicitly analyze uncertainty due to imprecision in a graceful and formal manner. The theory of fuzzy subsets and fuzzy logic can be utilized to complement the usage of probability theory in the modeling of complex humanistic system behavior. The two approaches are compatible and allow a more realistic and robust modeling of system functionality and behavior. Numerous situations exist in the field of assurance sciences where a significant component of uncertainty is due to imprecision (rather than randomness), and where fuzzy logic may be investigated as an alternative approach to modeling and analyzing the problem