Finiteness Notions in Fuzzy Sets

Lawrence N. Stout, Illinois Wesleyan University

Abstract

Finite sets are one of the most fundamental mathematical structures. In the absence of the axiom of choice there are many different inequivalent definitions of finite even in classical logic. When we allow incomplete existence as in fuzzy sets the situation gets even more complicated. This paper gives nine distinct definitions of finite in a fuzzy context together with examples showing how the properties of the underlying lattice of truth values impact the meanings of finite.