How has computer science changed mathematical thinking? In this first ever comprehensive survey of the subject for popular science readers, Arturo Sangalli explains how computers have brought a new practicality to mathematics and mathematical applications. By using fuzzy logic and related concepts, programmers have been able to sidestep the traditional and often cumbersome search for perfect mathematical solutions to embrace instead solutions that are "good enough." If mathematicians want their work to be relevant to the ...
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How has computer science changed mathematical thinking? In this first ever comprehensive survey of the subject for popular science readers, Arturo Sangalli explains how computers have brought a new practicality to mathematics and mathematical applications. By using fuzzy logic and related concepts, programmers have been able to sidestep the traditional and often cumbersome search for perfect mathematical solutions to embrace instead solutions that are "good enough." If mathematicians want their work to be relevant to the problems of the modern world, Sangalli shows, they must increasingly recognize "the importance of being fuzzy." As Sangalli explains, fuzzy logic is a technique that allows computers to work with imprecise terms--to answer questions with "maybe" rather than just "yes" and "no." The practical implications of this flexible type of mathematical thinking are remarkable. Japanese programmers have used fuzzy logic to develop the city of Sendai's unusually energy-efficient and smooth-running subway system--one that does not even require drivers. Similar techniques have been used in fields as diverse as medical diagnosis, image understanding by robots, the engineering of automatic transmissions, and the forecasting of currency exchange rates. Sangalli also explores in his characteristically clear and engaging manner the limits of classical computing, reviewing many of the central ideas of Turing and Godel. He shows us how "genetic algorithms" can solve problems by an evolutionary process in which chance plays a fundamental role. He introduces us to "neural networks," which recognize ill-defined patterns without an explicit set of rules--much as a dog can be trained to scent drugs without ever having an exact definition of "drug." Sangalli argues that even though "fuzziness" and related concepts are often compared to human thinking, they can be understood only through mathematics--but the math he uses in the book is straightforward and easy to grasp. Of equal appeal to specialists and the general reader, The Importance of Being Fuzzy reveals how computer science is changing both the nature of mathematical practice and the shape of the world around us.
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Add this copy of The Importance of Being Fuzzy: and Other Insights From to cart. $4.06, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
Add this copy of The Importance of Being Fuzzy: And Other Insights from to cart. $5.00, very good condition, Sold by JDH Lawton OK rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from LAWTON, OK, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
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Very good in very good dust jacket. Ex-library. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 200 p. Contains: Illustrations, black & white. Audience: General/trade. LCCN 98003818 Type of material Book Personal name Sangalli, Arturo, 1940-Main title The importance of being fuzzy: and other insights from the border between math and computers / Arturo Sangalli. Published/Created Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c1998. Description xvi, 173 p. : ill.; 25 cm. ISBN 0691001448 (cl: alk. paper) LC classification QA76.9. S63 S26 1998 Subjects Soft computing. Fuzzy systems. Notes Includes bibliographical references and index. Dewey class no. 006.3
Add this copy of The Importance of Being Fuzzy to cart. $5.00, good condition, Sold by HPB-Red rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Princeton University Press.
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With dust jacket. It's a preowned item in good condition and includes all the pages. It may have some general signs of wear and tear, such as markings, highlighting, slight damage to the cover, minimal wear to the binding, etc., but they will not affect the overall reading experience.
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