On the subject of fuzzy set-based approximate reasoning, this paper at
tempts to present a perspective that is both rigorously stated and dif
ferent from the standard approach as stated by Mamdani and many others
. Functionally speaking, this alternative perspective produces results
essentially the same as the standard one, and in fact we intend to pr
ove that subject to certain assumptions the results will be exactly th
e same. We feel however that the alternative perspective offers advant
ages in that it makes a more appropriate and more understandable use o
f such concepts as fuzzy relations, the extension principle, and fuzzy
composition. Ii indeed it can lead to a clearer and more widespread u
nderstanding of the approximate reasoning formalism then this could co
nceivably spark broader interest in fuzzy control and other applicatio
ns.