Non-standard cut classification of fuzzy sets (Q867605)

An \(L\)-fuzzy set on \(X\) is a mapping \(\mu\colon X\to L\) where \(X\) is a nonempty set and \((L,\leq)\) is a complete lattice. The abbreviation \(\diamond\) stands for one of the relational symbols \(\geq, >, \not \leq\) or \(\not <\). For an \(L\)-fuzzy set \(\mu\) and for a \(p\) in \(L\) the \(p\)-cut of \(\mu\) of type \(\diamond\) is the set \(\mu_{p}^{\diamond}:=\{x\in X\,| \,\mu(x)\diamond p\}\). For \(\diamond\) being \(\geq, >, \not \leq\) or \(\not <\) the corresponding cuts are called ``ordinary'', ``strong'', ``not less'' or ``neither less nor equal'' cut, respectively. A collection of all cuts of \(\mu\) of type \(\diamond\) is \(\mu_{L}^{\diamond}:=\{\mu_{p} ^{\diamond}\,| \,p\in L\}\). The authors show that \((\mu_{L}^{\diamond},\subseteq)\) is a complete lattice for \(\diamond\) being any of the four possible relational symbols. Two \(L\)-fuzzy sets \(\mu\) and \(\nu\) are said to have equal collections of the corresponding cuts of type \(\diamond\) if \(\mu_{p}^{\diamond}=\nu_{p}^{\diamond}\) for all \(p\in L\). It was known that \(\mu\) and \(\nu\) have equal collections of the corresponding ``ordinary'' cuts if and only if \(\mu=\nu\). The authors prove that the same characterization holds also for the collections of all the corresponding ``neither less nor equal'' cuts. Moreover, they provide an example of a finite lattice \(L\) and of two \(L\)-fuzzy sets which violate this claim for the collections of ``strong'' and for the collections of ``not less'' cuts. A necessary and sufficient condition ensuring that two \(L\)-fuzzy sets have equal collections of the corresponding ``strong'' or ``not less'' cuts is provided.