From: rshepard@salmo.appl-ecosys.com   
      
   On 2004-01-09, tarmat  wrote:   
      
   > I've heard that it's a bad idea to have three or more member functions   
   > overlapping (Yen and Langari).   
   >   
   > Can you explain why?   
      
     If I understand you correctly, the answer is "no".   
      
     Consider the linguistic variable "Height". It could have terms (fuzzy   
   sets) including very short, short, normal, tall, very tall. By definition,   
   an instance (e.g., a person) can have a partial membership in more than one   
   fuzzy set simultaneously. The only way to fuzzify a height of, say, 170 cm   
   might be to say that it is .9 in the set 'normal' and .1 in the set 'tall'.   
   This requires overlap.   
      
     What I've learned is that in most (many, at least) situations a 50%   
   overlap is a good starting point if not the most the most meaningful amount   
   of overlap.   
      
   HTH,   
      
   Rich   
      
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   Dr. Richard B. Shepard, President   
   Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc. (TM)   
      
      
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