Faculty Emeritus

george klir

George Klir

Distinguished Professor Emeritus

IN MEMORIAM: 1932-2016

Short Biography

George J. Klir was a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Systems Science at Binghamton University, State University of New York, faithfully providing service since 1969. His earlier work was in the areas of systems modeling and simulation, logic design, computer architecture and discrete mathematics. His most recent research interests included the areas of intelligent systems, generalized information theory, fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic, theory of generalized measures and soft computing. He was the author of over 300 articles and 16 books. He also edited 10 books and was editor of the International Journal of General Systems since 1974 and the International Book Series on Systems Science and Systems Engineering since 1985. He was president of SGSR (1981-82), IFSR (1980-84), NAFIPS (1988-1991) and IFSA (1993-1995). He was honored as a fellow of IEEE and IFSA, and received numerous awards and honors, including five honorary doctoral degrees, the Gold Medal of Bernard Bolzano, the Lotfi A. Zadeh Best Paper Award, the Kaufmann's Gold Medal, the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research and the IFSA Award for Outstanding Achievement. His biography is included in many biographical sources, including Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, American Men and Women of Science, Outstanding Educators of America, Contemporary Authors, etc. His research was supported for more than 20 years by grants from the NSF, ONR, Air Force, NASA, NATO, Sandia Laboratories and some industries.

Education

  • PhD, Computer Science, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1964
  • MS, Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University, Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1957

Research Interests:

Intelligent systems, fuzzy logic, fuzzy measure theory, information theory, systems modeling, general systems methodology

Principal Books:

2006: Uncertainty and Information: Foundations of Generalized Information Theory, John Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.

2000: Fuzzy Sets: An Overview of Fundamentals and Personal Views, Beijing Normal University Press, Beijing.

1998: Uncertainty-Based Information: Elements of Generalized Information Theory, Physica Verlag/Springer Verlag, Heidelberg and New York (with M Wierman). Second Edition: Physica-Verlag/Springer Verlag, Heidelberg and New York, 1999.

1997: Fuzzy Set Theory: Foundations and Applications, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ (with U. St. Clair and B. Yuan).

1995: Fuzzy Sets and Fuzzy Logic: Theory and Applications, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ (with B. Yuan).

1992: Fuzzy Measure Theory, Plenum Press, New York (with Z. Wang).

1991: Facets of Systems Science, Plenum Press, New York. Second Edition: Kluwer/Plenum, New York, 2001.

1988: Fuzzy Sets, Uncertainty and Information, Prentice Hall PTR, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (with T. Folger). Japanese Translation: UNI, Tokyo, 1993.

1985: Architecture of Systems Problem Solving, Plenum Press, New York. Russian Translation: Radio i Sviaz, 1990. Second Edition: Kluwer/Plenum, New York, 2003 (with D. Elias).

1972: Introduction to the Methodology of Switching Circuits, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

1969: An Approach to General Systems Theory, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. Spanish Translation: Ediciones Ice, Madrid, 1980.

1966: Synthesis of Switching Circuits, SNTL, Prague, in Czech (with L. Seidl). British Edition: Iliffe, London, 1968. American Edition: Gordon and Breach, 1968.

1965: Cybernetic Modelling, SNTL, Prague, in Czech (with M. Valach). British Edition: Iliffe, London, 1967. American Edition: Van Nostrand, Princeton, NJ, 1967.

Principal Edited Books:

2004: Fuzzy Logic in Geology, Academic Press/Elsevier, San Diego, CA (with R. V. Demicco).

1996: Fuzzy Sets, Fuzzy Logic, and Fuzzy Systems: Selected Papers by Lotfi A. Zadeh, World Scientific, Singapore (with B. Yuan).

1996: Computer-Aided Theory and Technology, Springer-Verlag, Berlin and New York (with T. Oren).

1979: Methodology in Systems Modelling and Simulation, North-Holland, Amsterdam (with B. P. Zeigler, M. S. Elzas, and T. I. Oren).

1978: Applied General Systems Research, Plenum Press, New York.

1972: Trends in General Systems Theory, John Wiley, New York. Polish Translation: Wydawictwa naukovo-techniczne, Warsaw, 1976. Spanish Translation: Alianza Editorial, Madrid, 1978.

Selected Papers(1994-2005)

2005

  • "Uncertainty and information: Emergence of vast new territories", in Systemics of Emergence: Research and Development, edited by G. Minati, E. Pessa, and M. Abram. Springer, New York, pp. 3-28.
  • "Applying fuzzy measures and nonlinear integrals in data mining", Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 156(3), pp. 371-380 (with Z. Wang and K.-S. Leung).

2004

  • "Generalized information theory: aims, results, and open problems," Reliability Engineering and Systems Safety 83(1-3), pp.21-38.

2003

  • "The role of fuzzy logic in sedimentology and stratigraphic models." In: Soft Computing and Intelligent Systems data Analysis and Exploration, ed. by Nikravesh, M., et al., Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 189-218 (with R. Demicco and R. Belohlavek).

2002

  • "Basic issues of computing with granular probabilities." In: Data Mining, Rough Sets and Granular Computing, ed. by T.Y. Lin, Y.Y Yao, and L.A. Zadeh, Springer-Verlag, New York, pp.339-349.
  • "Systems science." Encyclopedia of Information Systems, Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 391-401.
  • "Uncertainty." Encyclopedia of Information Systems, Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 511-521.
  • "Intelligent path planning of two cooperating robots based on fuzzy logic." Intern. J. of General Systems, 31(4), pp. 359-376 (with Y.T. Kim et al.).
  • "Uncertainty in economics: The heritage of G.L.S. Shackle." Fuzzy Economic Review, VII(2), pp. 3-21.
  • "On the capability of fuzzy set theory to represent concepts." Intern. J. of General Systems, 31(6), pp. 569-585 (with R. Belohlavek, H.W. Lewis III, and E. Way).

2001

  • "Foundations of fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic: a historical overview," Intern. J. of General Systems, 30(2), pp. 91-132.
  • "The role of uncertainty in systems modeling," In: H.S.Sarjoughian and F.E.Cellier (eds.), Discrete Event Modeling and Simulation Technologies: A Tapestry of Systems and AI-Based Theories and Methodologies, Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 53-74.
  • "On measuring uncertainty and uncertainty-based information," Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, 23(1), pp. 5-33 (with R.M. Smith).
  • "Stratigraphic simulations using fuzzy logic to model sediment dispersal," J. of Petroleum Science & Engineering, 31, pp. 135-155 (with R.V. Demicco).

2000

  • "Optimal redundancy management in reconfigurable control systems based on normalized nonspecificity," Intern. J. of Systems Science, 31(6), pp. 797-808 (with Eva Wu).
  • "Measures of uncertainty and information." In: D. Dubois and H. Prade (eds.), Fundamentals of Fuzzy Sets, Kluwer, Boston, pp. 439-457.
  • "Uncertainty-Based Information: A Critical Review." In: Discovering the World With Fuzzy Logic, ed. by V.Novak and I.Perfieva Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 29-53.

1999

  • "On fuzzy-set interpretation of possibility theory," Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 103(3), pp. 263-273.
  • "On the complementarity of systems sciences and classical sciences." In: Toward New Paradigm in Systems Science, ed. by Y. P. Rhee Seoul National Univ. Press, Seoul, pp. 85-101.
  • "Conceptual foundations of quantum mechanics: the role of evidence theory, quantum sets, and modal logic," Intern. J. of Modern Physics, B 10(1), pp. 29-62, (with G. Resconi and E. Pessa).
  • "A design condition for incorporating human judgment into monitoring systems," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 65, pp. 251-258 (with K. Tanaka).

1998

  • "Constrained fuzzy arithmetic: Basic questions and some answers," Soft Computing, 2(2), pp.100-108 (with Y. Pan).
  • "Genetic algorithms for determining fuzzy measures from data," J. of Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems, 6(1), pp. 171-183 (with W. Wang and Z. Wang).
  • "Generative archetypes and taxa: a fuzzy set formalization," Rivista di Biologia/ Biology Forum, 91, pp. 403-424 (with R. von Sternberg).

1997

  • "Fuzzy arithmetic with requisite constraints," Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 91(2), pp. 165-175.
  • "Constructing fuzzy measures in expert systems," Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 92(2), pp. 251-264 (with Z. Wang and D. Harmanec).
  • "The role of constrained fuzzy arithmetic in engineering." In: Uncertainty Analysis in Engineering and Sciences, ed. by Ayyub, B. M., Kluwer, Boston, pp. 1-20.
  • "Data-driven identification of key variables." In: Intelligent Hybrid Systems, ed. by Ruan, D. , Kluwer, Boston, pp. 161-187 (with Bo Yuan).
  • "Bayesian inference based on interval-valued prior probabilities and likelihoods," J. of Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems, 5(3), pp.193-203 (with Y. Pan).
  • "Choquet integrals and natural extensions of lower probabilities," Intern. J. of Approximate Reasoning, 16(2), pp.137-147 (with Z. Wang).
  • "From classical mathematics to fuzzy mathematics: emergence of a new paradigm for theoretical science." In: Fuzzy Logic in Chemistry, Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 31-63.
  • "PFB-integrals and PFA-integrals with respect to monotone set function," Intern. J. of Uncertainty, Fuzziness, and Knowledge-Based Systems, 5(2), pp. 163-175 (with Z. Wang).

1996

  • "Fuzzy measures defined by fuzzy integral and their absolute continuity," J. of Mathematical Analysis and Applications, (1), pp.150-165 (with Z. Wang & W. Wang).
  • "Monotone set functions defined by Choquet integral," Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 81(2), pp.241-250 (with Z. Wang and W. Wang).
  • "Constructing fuzzy measures by transformations," J. of Fuzzy Mathematics, 4(l), pp. 207-215 (with Z. Wang and W. Wang).
  • "Epistemological categories of systems: an overview and mathematical formulation," Intern. J. of General Systems, 24(1-2), pp. 207-224 (with I. Rozehnal).
  • "Modal logic interpretation of Dempster-Shafer theory: an infinite case," Intern. J. of Approximate Reasoning, 14(2-3), pp. 81-93 (with D. Harmanec and Z.Wang).

1995

  • "From classical sets to fuzzy sets: a grand paradigm shift." In: Advances in Fuzzy Theory and Technology, III, ed. by P.P. Wang, Duke Univ., Durham, NC, pp. 5-30.

1994

  • "Uncertainty as a resource for managing complexity." In: From Statistical Physics to Statistical Inference and Back, ed. by P. Grassberger and J.-P. Nadal, Kluwer, Boston, pp.139-153.
  • "Multivalued logics versus modal logics: alternative frameworks for uncertainty modelling." In: Advances in Fuzzy Theory and Technology, II, ed. by P.P. Wang, Bookwrights Press, Durham, North Carolina (Lotfi A. Zadeh Award for the Best Paper in 1993), pp. 3-47.
  • "On modal logic interpretation of possibility theory," Intern. J. of Uncertainty,. Fuzziness and Knowledge-Based Systems, 2(2), pp. 237-245 (with D. Harmanec).
  • "On modal logic interpretation of Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence," Intern. J. of Intelligent Systems, 9(10), pp. 941-951 (with D. Harmanec and G. Resconi).