IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 49
Remembering Lotfi Zadeh (continued from page 48)
to his passing away; the last e-mails we exchanged were
than a personal, respectful, and warm tribute to his memory
at the end of June 2017. I find it impossible to evaluate the
offered by two researchers, not only working in different fields,
full value that those 40 years of friendship have for me; I did
but belonging to different generations.
learn a lot from the lectures I heard from Prof. Zadeh and the
papers of his that I read, but mainly from the discussions and
Some Personal Memories of Zadeh
the conversations we used to have on wide variety of topics.
ET: Prof. Zadeh had a great personal attractiveness; people
For me, Prof. Zadeh was an unforgettable master who, along
approached him in a truly incredible way, one example of
with Karl Menger, I believe had the greatest influence on
which is, perhaps, an extreme case that occurred in the spring
my research activities. The imprints of their works are clearly
of 1981 in Berkeley. After working all morning at Evans Hall,
evident behind my own thought; for instance, Menger's
Prof. Zadeh and those of us who were there with him at the
addendum to Occam's Razor or Prof. Zadeh's view on the
time went for lunch at the famous Three Cs cafeteria, located
constraint imposed by trying to attain too much precision.
outside the campus on Hearst Street. As the weather that day
For me, Prof. Zadeh was up there among the most creative
was so good, we sat at a table outside the cafeteria to eat. Prof.
researchers of the 20th century.
Zadeh had his usual, a frugal crêpe and a cup of darjeeling
AS: I started reading Prof. Zadeh's works in 1985 and met
tea. We were in the middle of a pleasant conversation when
him in person for the first time in 1996, at the XXVI IEEE
a beautiful, elegantly dressed woman came out from the
Multiple-Valued Logic Symposium that we organized at
cafeteria, walking in the direction of our table; we all gawked
the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. My initial
at her. Just as she was about to walk past us, Prof. Zadeh said
approach to fuzzy logic was through the book, Introducción
to her, "Please, come and join us!" And she did. After talking for
a la Lógica Formal (Introduction to Formal Logic) by the
a while, and even if the conversation seemed to be between
Spanish philosopher of logic, Alfredo Deaño, who, in a few
old friends, it became patently obvious that she and Prof.
lines, approached the principal features of what was, back
Zadeh had never met each other before.
then, a new type of logic. In a footnote, he said that fuzzy
Prof. Zadeh was a man who loved culture and beauty, as
logic attempts to explain imprecision in a precise way. Using
most of the artistic pictures he took over many years show,
a metaphor, he said that it is like an oral theory of stuttering,
with photos not only of scientists and engineers but also
offering explanations about stuttering but without stuttering.
dancers, writers, singers, politicians, and more. One day in
This phrase captivated me in such a way that I found myself
1980, I was invited to lunch at Fay and Prof. Zadeh's home on
desperate to learn more about the topic. As there was
Mendocino Avenue. At that time, the living room in the house
no such thing as the Internet, I audaciously wrote to Prof.
was full of very large loudspeakers and, while waiting for
Zadeh asking him for papers, which he kindly sent to me a
Fay, Prof. Zadeh and I were talking about Italian opera and
few months later. His papers caused a double impression
its singers, something about which I was, and still am, very
on me; on the one hand, they were so exquisitely written. If
passionate. Prof. Zadeh proceeded to put a record on and
language is a window to our mind, I conjectured that Prof.
said to me, "This is an exam for you," and asked me "What
Zadeh's mind would be like his writing: exciting, creative,
is the song and who is the singer?" I answered, "It's Nessun
brilliant. On the other hand, his papers frequently illustrated
dorma from Puccini's Turandot, and the singer is Luciano
mathematical or logical notions with examples using natural
Pavarotti," and he said to me in a soft voice "We're going to
language. Although the topics dealt with were sometimes
be good friends." In fact, and for 40 years, not only were we
cryptic for a graduate in philosophy, the examples provided
good friends, but loyal ones, too.
the reader with accurate insights. Giving and selecting
In private situations, Prof. Zadeh had a great sense of
suitable examples is a sign of clear and distinctive intuition,
humor. Maybe it was in 1983 when Sergei Ovchinnikov, Elie
which Prof. Zadeh undoubtedly possessed.
Sanchez, and I were invited to lunch at Fay and Prof. Zadeh's
ET and AS: Hence, this short narrative cannot be a
home. Sergei had left the Soviet Union a few years before
typical obituary, nor can it merely contain impartial and
and had only very recently recovered his books, which had
independent views. It endeavors to present a passionate
finally been sent to him from Moscow, after the inordinately
picture of the Prof. Zadeh we knew, a number of hints on how,
long time the authorities took to scrutinize them one by one.
and in line with the previous comments, we see the work
Prof. Zadeh presented us with three red shirts, identical to the
of one of the most creative researchers we have had the
one he was wearing, and asked us to put them on to take
great opportunity of knowing personally, admiring him, and
a group photo. But as Sergei attempted to gently refuse,
intellectually benefiting from both his thought and his work.
Zadeh said "Sergei, please, put the shirt on, even if it is too
Prof. Zadeh was not only an engineer and a scientist but
also an innovative thinker [S5], and this account is no more
(continued on page 50)
Ju ly 2018
IEEE SyStEmS, man, & CybErnEtICS magazInE
49
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018
Contents
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - Cover1
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - Cover2
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - Contents
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 2
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 3
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 4
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 5
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 6
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 7
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 8
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 9
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 10
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 11
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 12
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 13
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 14
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 15
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 16
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 17
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 18
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 19
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 20
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 21
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 22
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 23
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 24
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 25
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 26
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 27
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 28
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 29
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 30
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 31
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 32
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 33
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 34
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 35
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 36
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 37
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 38
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 39
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 40
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 41
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 42
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 43
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 44
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 45
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 46
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 47
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 48
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 49
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 50
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 51
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 52
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 53
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 54
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 55
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - 56
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - Cover3
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - July 2018 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/smc_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_1017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0717
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0417
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_1016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_1015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/systems_man_cybernetics_0115
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com