Fuzzy sets and cut systems in a category of sets with similarity relations (Q1933767)

Given a set \(A\) and a complete residuated lattice \(\Omega\) [\textit{V. Novák} et al., Mathematical principles of fuzzy logic. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers (1999; Zbl 0940.03028)], a \textit{nested system of \(\alpha\)-cuts in \(A\)} is a family \(\mathcal{C}=(C_{\alpha})_{\alpha\in\Omega}\) of subsets of \(A\) which has the following two properties: firstly, \(C_{\alpha}\subseteq C_{\beta}\) for every \(\beta\leqslant\alpha\), and, secondly, the set \(\{\alpha\in\Omega\,|\,a\in C_{\alpha}\}\) has a unique greatest element for every \(a\in A\). In particular, every such system gives rise to a lattice-valued set \(\mu:A\rightarrow\Omega\), where \(\mu(a)=\bigvee\{\alpha\in\Omega\,|\,a\in C_{\alpha}\}\). Conversely, every lattice-valued set \(\mu:A\rightarrow\Omega\) induces a nested system of \(\alpha\)-cuts in \(A\) in which \(C_{\alpha}=\{a\in A\,|\,\alpha\leqslant\mu(a)\}\). A thorough study of the properties of the above passages between lattice-valued sets and systems of \(\alpha\)-cuts was done, e.g., in [\textit{R. Bělohlávek}, Fuzzy relational systems. Foundations and principles. New York, NY: Kluwer Academic Publishers (2002; Zbl 1067.03059); \textit{R. Bělohlávek} and \textit{V. Vychodil}, Fuzzy equational logic. Berlin: Springer (2005; Zbl 1083.03030)]. In [Fuzzy Sets Syst. 161, No. 24, 3127--3140 (2010; Zbl 1225.03070)], the author of the paper under review introduced an extension of this machinery to the category \textbf{Set}\((\Omega)\) whose objects \((A,\delta)\) are sets equipped with an \(\Omega\)-valued similarity relation (in the sense of, e.g., [\textit{U. Höhle}, Theory Decis. Libr., Ser. B 14, 34--72 (1992; Zbl 0766.03037)]), and whose morphisms are maps which preserve these similarity relations. Notice that lattice-valued sets in this setting are \textbf{Set}\((\Omega)\)-morphisms \(s:(A,\delta)\rightarrow(\Omega,\leftrightarrow)\), where \(\alpha\leftrightarrow\beta= (\alpha\rightarrow\beta)\wedge(\beta\rightarrow\alpha)\). It is the main purpose of the current paper to extend this technique even further, namely, to the category \textbf{SetR}\((\Omega)\) whose morphisms are no longer maps, but \(\Omega\)-valued relations between sets. The author begins by introducing two suitable analogues of systems of \(\alpha\)-cuts for the category \textbf{SetR}\((\Omega)\), and shows their equivalence. He then constructs a functor \(\mathcal{F}:\mathbf{SetR}(\Omega)\rightarrow\text\textbf{Set}\) (where \textbf{Set} is the category of sets and maps) the value of which on an object \((A,\delta)\) is the family of lattice-valued sets in \((A,\delta)\), i.e., the set of \(\mathbf{SetR}(\Omega)\)-morphisms \(s:(A,\delta)\rightarrow(\Omega,\leftrightarrow)\). Additionally, the author defines a functor \(\mathcal{C}:\mathbf{SetR}(\Omega)\rightarrow\text\textbf{Set}\) whose values on objects are families of generalized systems of \(\alpha\)-cuts. The main result of the paper is given in Theorem 4.2, stating that the functors \(\mathcal{F}\) and \(\mathcal{C}\) are naturally isomorphic (which is then an extension of the above representation of lattice-valued sets through systems of \(\alpha\)-cuts). The paper is well written (almost no typos), conveniently self-contained, and will certainly be of interest to the researchers studying categories of lattice-valued sets.