Zadeh

Lotfi A. Zadeh (1921–2017) was an Iranian-born American computer scientist, electrical engineer, and mathematician. He is best known for founding fuzzy logic and fuzzy set theory, whose ideas have become foundational to modern approaches to uncertainty, imprecision, and reasoning with natural language. His work helped stimulate the development of soft computing and influenced diverse fields including control engineering, artificial intelligence, data analysis, and decision making.

Born in Baku, he grew up in Iran and pursued an engineering education before moving to the United States for advanced study. He spent the bulk of his professional career at the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as a professor in electrical engineering and computer science and trained generations of researchers.

In 1965 Zadeh introduced the concept of fuzzy sets in a landmark paper, proposing that set membership could be gradual rather than binary. He extended these ideas to fuzzy logic and linguistic variables, enabling reasoning about imprecise information. Fuzzy logic has been applied widely, from consumer electronics to automotive control systems and beyond, providing a flexible framework for handling uncertainty when traditional logical approaches are inadequate.

Zadeh's work has left a lasting impact on theory and practice, shaping the field of fuzzy systems and contributing to the broader scope of soft computing. He is remembered as a pioneering figure who bridged mathematics, engineering, and cognitive modeling.