The Evolution of Rough Sets 1970s-1981
Viktor Marek, Ewa Orłowska, Ivo Düntsch
TL;DR
This paper surveys the evolution of rough-set theory from its 1970s Polish origins, tracing cross-disciplinary influences from computer science, logic, mathematics, philosophy, and linguistics that culminated in the 1981 birth of rough sets. It documents the progression from descriptive languages and information systems to approximation-based notions, culminating in the formal definition of lower and upper approximations on equivalence-based partitions. Key contributions include linking rough sets to Formal Concept Analysis, formalizing indiscernibility relations, and establishing a foundation for data-based reasoning about imprecise concepts. The work provides a rigorous, lattice-theoretic framework for handling uncertainty in information systems, underpinning subsequent development and applications in knowledge discovery and database reasoning.
Abstract
In this note research and publications by Zdzisław Pawlak and his collaborators from 1970s and 1981 are recalled. Focus is placed on the sources of inspiration which one can identify on the basis of those publications. Finally, developments from 1981 related to rough sets and information systems are outlined.