Universes of fuzzy sets and axiomatizations of fuzzy set theory. II: Category theoretic approaches (Q865043)

This is the second part of an extensive overview paper of most of the known attempts at precise mathematical definition of the notion of a fuzzy set (for Part I see [Stud. Log. 82, No. 2, 211--244 (2006; Zbl 1111.03047)]). The approaches are classified into four groups: ``naive'' constructions of cumulative universes of fuzzy sets, model-theoretical constructions, ``pure'' axiomatizations, and category-theoretic approaches. This paper is devoted to the latter approach. The development of fuzzy set theory in this direction is motivated by category \textbf{SET} of classical sets and the Higgs topos \textbf{SET}\((H)\). Unfortunately, when introducing \textbf{SET}\(([0,1])\) we do not obtain a category-theoretical characterization of fuzzy sets since the latter does not internalize Łukasiewicz negation (\(\neg a = 1-a\)) and, moreover, the internal logic of the topos is intuitionistic logic, which does not cover non-idempotent conjunction. The latter, however, is crucial in fuzzy set theory. The paper overviews the first approaches introduced by J. A. Goguen (the categories \textbf{S}\((L)\) and \textbf{Set}\((L)\)) and mentions also categories of Heyting-algebra-valued sets. The latter approaches, which include Eytan and Wyler categories, suffer from the impossibility to introduce non-idempotent conjunction and so are less interesting for fuzzy set theory. The most significant step in this direction has been done by Höhle, who considers \(M\)-sets with \(M\) being an integral, divisible, residuated, commutative completely lattice-ordered monoid with zero (i.e., complete residuated lattice). He constructs the category \textbf{sh}\((M)\) of sheafs, which has the following properties: \(\bullet\) it has a suboject classifier \(\Omega\) and a truth arrow \(t\), \(\bullet\) it allows the unique classification of the \((\Omega, t)\)-classifiable subobjects, \(\bullet\) it internalizes \(M\)-valued maps as \textbf{sh}\((M)\)-morphisms with codomain \(\Omega\), \(\bullet\) \textbf{sh}\((M)\) is equivalent with the Higgs topos in the case that the underlying monoid is a complete Heyting algebra. The paper is finished by a section on categories of quantale-valued sets and remarks on further convergence of all the mentioned approaches.