A Unified Framework of Granular Computing
Yiyu Y. Yao · 2008
In this chapter, we propose a unified framework for a holistic understanding of granular computing. It is developed based on three perspectives, namely, the philosophical, the methodological, and the computational perspectives. The three perspectives lead to structured thinking, structured problem solving, and structured information processing. We argue that the subject of the study of granular computing is a web of interacting granules representing a problem to be solved. From the web of granules, one can derive descriptions with multiple hierarchies (i.e., multiview) and multilevel granularity in each hierarchy.