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This paper is focused on fuzzy theory of democracy. Here, it has been argued that the theory of democracy provides a two-valued description of political order (democratic or non democratic).However, this account of democracy is not consistent with the scientific truth. Democracy is characterized by fuzzy truth. Thus, following a critical discussion on the epistemology of critical rationality, a fuzzy epistemic apparatus has been formulated. Considering the fuzzy epistemology, it has been claimed that on this epistemic horizon, every thing is relatively calibrated and truth is something between zero and one. Also, in the mentioned apparatus, the black and white truth transforms into a gray truth and all follow the principle of uncertainty. Consequently, in the fuzzy epistemology, the membership function of zero and one will be generalized to a fuzzy membership based on a range of zero and one. To support the above mentioned epistemic apparatus, the writer of the paper has provided an empirical argument. The evidences the writer provides indicate that democracy as a truth represents values in the range of zero to one. The value of zero represents a completely non democratic country and the value of one represents a full democratic one. Any other value between zero to one is an indicator of a mixed category consisting of both democratic and non democratic aspects. Finally, based on the empirical evidences, it has been concluded that the U.S.A, England, Japan, Turkey, India, France, and Iran (1998-2003) are of democratic countries, albeit the kind and degree of democracies vary

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There is different methods for simulating river flow. Some of thesemethods such as the process based hydrological models need multiple input data and high expertise about the hydrologic process. But some of the methods such as the regression based and artificial inteligens modelsare applicable even in data scarce conditions. This capability can improve efficiency of the hydrologic modeling in ungauged watersheds in developing countries. This study attempted to investigate the capability of the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) for simulating the monthly river flow in three hydrometric stations of Pole-Almas, Nir, and Lai; which have different rate of river flow. The simulations are conducted using three input data including the precipitation, temperature, and the average monthly hydrograph (AMH). The study area islocated in the Gharasu Watershed, Ardabil Province, Iran. For this aim, six groupsof input data (M₁, M₂, … M₆) were defined based on different combinations of the above-mentioned input data. Theconducted simulations in Pole-Almas and Nir stations have presented an acceptable results; but in Lai station it was very poor. This different behavoirs was referred to the lower volume of flow and consequently irregularity and variability of flow in Lai station, which cause the decrease of accuracy in the simulation. The AMH parameter had an important role in increasing the accuracy of the simulations in Pole-Almas and Nir stations. The findings of this study showed that ANFIS is an efficient tool for river flow simulation; but in application of ANFIS, the selection and utilization of relevant and efficient input data will have a determinativerole in achieving to a successful modeling.

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Subject
In this study, the steam reforming of the methanol process was analyzed based on three different inputs including temperature, pressure, and H₂O/CH₃OH ratio with the use of different Artificial Intelligence methods.
Methodology
In the first step, Cu-Zn/ZrO₂ catalysts were synthesized via the co-precipitation method, and then experimental tests of steam reforming of methanol were performed at a temperature range of 180 –500 °C, the pressure of 1-11 bar, and the H₂O/CH₃OH ratio of 0.75-3.75 on the Cu-Zn/ZrO₂ catalyst in a fixed bed reactor. Afterward, three different methods of Mamdani fuzzy type-1, Mamdani fuzzy type-2, and Sugeno fuzzy were applied in order to develop the models. Using these methods, the developed models only required the heuristics derived from the expert’s knowledge and some experimental data, without needing the calculation of complex kinetic as well as thermodynamic parameters related to the corresponding process. In addition, the structures of the developed fuzzy models were optimized to improve the model performance according to the analysis of the initial results. The model developments didn’t require a high number of experimental data, and this feature is especially interesting when dealing with the process conditions in which data gathering is expensive or the accuracy of data is low.
The main results
The overall accuracy as well as the properties of the developed models were compared. The type-2 Mamdani fuzzy model proved to be the best model, using which, the methanol conversion, H₂ yield, and CO yield were predicted with accuracies of 67%, 91%, and 83%, respectively.
 

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Based on the forecasts of the fourth five-year development plan of Iran, the current government expenditures have to be financed through non-oil resources. But according to realized statistics of the plan's performance, the ratio of the total tax over the total government expenditures is about 36 percent on average. This means that the Iran's government and tax authorities are faced with a budget challenges in achieving the budget targets. Although having the effective tax policy is important to achieve the tax targets, designing the tax policy is a difficult and complex task and it requires the various tax stakeholders' cooperation in the whole economy, while they have different subjectivity and opinions about the designing of the tax policy and its effects on the economy. In this paper, the Delphi method is used to model the whole decision makings involved in designing tax policy and the fuzzy theory notions are applied for modeling both the linguistic variables and imprecision of the experts' views. Based on the Fuzzy Delphi method, the most effective tax policy is designed and developed when it incorporates imprecision and subjectivity into the model formulation and solution process.

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A new approach for propulsion system layout that increases power and enhances the efficiency of submarine propulsion system is proposed.using our method,the efficiency and power of the system enhances without increasing volume and weight. This layout improves the performance compared to the usual layout, which employs double-armature motors in cruise speed where efficiency is more critical. This layout needs a complicated control system due to the difference of the motors. In this paper, first we suggest a type of complex controller and prove its controllability and stability. Then the control system is reduced to a simple system using the idea of low and fast dynamics separation. The non-linear MIMO system is split into two SISO systems, which simplifies the system so that the classical controllers would be applicable. Simulation results for both the classic and fuzzy controllers are also presented. A small model system which is built based on this approach, justifies the results.

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Detection & Classification of power quality (PQ) disturbances are the most important problems in distribution systems. In this paper, a new approach for the detection and classification of single and combined PQ disturbances is proposed which utilizes fuzzy logic and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms. In this approach, first suitable features of the waveform of PQ disturbances are extracted. Extraction of these specifications is done based on the Fourier and Wavelet transforms. Then, the proposed Fuzzy systems make decision about the type of each of the PQ disturbances by employing these specifications. The PSO algorithm is used for accurate determination of each parameter of the membership functions of the systems. To test the proposed approach, the waveform of PQ disturbances was assumed to be in a sampled form from single and combined categories. Impulse, interruption, swell, sag, notch, transient, harmonic, and flicker phenomena are considered as single disturbances for voltage signal. More over, harmonic with swell, swell with harmonic, swell with transient, harmonic with sag, sag with harmonic and sag with transient are considered as combined disturbances for the voltage signal. Simulation results denote capability of the proposed approach for identification of single and combined disturbances with about 99% accuracy.

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Abstract In current settlement planning settlements are either rural or urban. In reality human settlements are more diverse than this dichotomy and current definitions of rural and urban settlements are not comprehensive from political, administrative and scientific points of view and show lack of attention to various factors that shape human settlements and their status. In other words changing the status of a settlement based on public demand might not change the real status of a settlement. Application of models based on fuzzy logic as a relative approach in identification and classification of human settlements provides a better and more diverse framework for human settlement grouping based on various social, environmental and economic factors. Changing the status of a settlement from rural to urban without considering the role of such factors will not only increase the public expenditures, but also will increase public expectations and demand for inefficient services. Identification of those rural settlements with higher membership degree to urban settlements will help planners and policy makers to make better decisions when trying to accept or reject the status of a settlement. The main aim of this study is to assess the use fuzzy logic to identify rural settlements that are suitable for getting the city status. Rural settlement in Tehran province, Iran, has been selected as case study.

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The purpose of this study is to introduce an index for calculating transaction costs in Iran over the 1984-2006 period. In order to calculate the transaction costs, Fuzzy Logic Approach is employed using MATLAB software. Based on the literature review, the determinants of the transaction costs are identified. They mainly comprise the standard deviation of the inflation rate, economic freedom, cash ratio and the ratio of public costs to GDP. Three scenarios are considered to calculate the transaction costs. Overall, the result shows that there is a cyclical trend in the transaction costs over the period considered in this study. The transaction costs decreased after the period of war - 1372-1374 - in all three scenarios considered. Following this period, however, the transaction costs has an upward trend and continued to increase until 1381 in all scenarios. After this increasing trend, the transaction costs have again decreased in the three scenarios.

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Over the past decades, one of the most important indicators of the development and welfare was economic growth or any quantitative variables such as gross domestic product and income per capita. As long as the World has experienced a wide gap among rich and poor countries, economic growth as the only effective factor in welfare was questioned and consequently, gross domestic product distribution and other issues related to social justice raised as a distinguished feature of welfare and development economics. Estimating welfare trend in Iran can mirror the policies imposed by policymakers. Therefore, this paper aims to estimate welfare index during 1974- 2006 period. In this paper MATLAB software is used to estimate welfare employing fuzzy logic model using Sen's approach. The results of this study show that in spite of high degrees of vacillation, welfare trend was ascending during the aforementioned years. The maximum value obtained was 0.715 in 2005 while the minimum value obtained was 0.421 in 1994.

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Selecting people of project team is very important because it can determine successful ness or failure of projects. In this research, a model was developed for project team selection based on fuzzy approach that presents a systematic and scientific selection process of project team. Fuzzy compatibility concept was applied for measuring relationship and suitability between the necessary skills for accomplishing project activities and the skills of candidate people. In order to select the appropriate people to the project team, two factors were considered; the degree of compatibility and cost of potential teams. To make decision about the desired team, the "SAW" method was applied. Finally the desired team was selected that satisfied both skill requirements and budget constraints.

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Aims: Original design can be evaluated by emphasizing the recognition of the original meaning of native architecture. Therefore, the interaction of past and new meanings of architecture through the continuation of originality using new materials, has a high position in today's world. The purpose of this article is to identify and analyze modern patterns in interaction with the two concepts of past originality and future technology in the use of materials in the facades of contemporary buildings in Iran. Do they step in synchronously with the architectural facade or are they in opposition?

Methods: In order to achieve the objectives of the research, the process of analysis and evaluation is carried out by selecting the works of the architectural index and how to use the materials in the facade.

This research tries to examine the facades of index buildings in terms of materials through qualitative studies and has evaluated the interaction of materials and the originality of the building facades by using fuzzy logic as a systematic theory.

Findings: Research findings show the use of traditional materials along with modern technology; Establishes an interactive process between the original patterns of the past and the dream of the future.

Conclusion: Inspired by the original and sustainable patterns of Iranian architecture with modern expression, it is an effective approach in creating outstanding architecture.

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Design of a suitable Control Strategy for operating a hybrid propulsion system in different types of roads and driving cycles is one of the most challenging subjects in hybrid vehicle research areas. Intelligent Control Strategies have been designed to meet the above requirement. The control signals in an intelligent control strategy of the hybrid vehicles are generated according to the driving cycle type. This is done by using a driving cycle identification unit. In this paper, design of a fuzzy based driving cycle identifier has been presented. The main idea in this unit is that any arbitrary driving cycle is similar to a group of standard driving cycles according to some degrees of similarity. As a result, the control strategy of the hybrid powertrain in the arbitrary driving cycle is affected by the optimized control strategy of the standard diving cycle based on the degree of similarity. Here, the subset of sufficient features is determined by using the floating search method as a useful feature selection algorithm. Also, the fuzzy clustering method is used to generate the values of similarity degrees to each standard driving cycle. Finally, the performance of the fuzzy driving cycle identification unit is assessed.

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For the first time in case of fraud detection in Iran, the amount of water as a fraud in natural lime juice was detected using fuzzy modeling system in the present study. Four parameters consisting pH, EC (electrical conductivity), contrast and homogeneity (obtained from the samples’ images) were considered as input and the amount of water in natural lime juice was introduced as output of the fuzzy model system. Zero, 5, 10, 15, 25, 30 and 40% of water were used for system training and 7.5, 12.5, 20 and 35 % were used for testing the system. Mamdani’s fuzzy inference system, triangle membership functions and 7 rules were used for fuzzy modeling. The performance of the model was determined using R² and RMSE statistical parameters. As a result, high value of R²(0.99) as well as low value of RMSE (1.67) demonstrated that fuzzy inference system can be used as an efficient method to estimate the amount of water fraud in natural lime juice.  

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Estimating the size of shadow economy is of special importance in setting macroeconomic variables and fiscal policies. In recent years, the fuzzy inference sets have been used for measuring shadow economy. In this paper, we present eight new fuzzy indicators for modeling and estimating the size of shadow economy. Thus, according to Lucas definition, we divide the shadow economy into four sectors and define two indicators for each sector. After three fuzzy inference phases, we measure the size of shadow economy. Our results indicate that the effect of production household on Iran’s shadow economy size is decreasing; and irregular, informal and illegal sectors impact size of shadow economy. In addition, the size of Iran’s shadow economy is estimated around 13 percent of GDP, on average, over 1970- 2007.  

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This paper focuses on the measurement of justice perception using fuzzy ‎logic. The measurement of justice perception is not a simple matter, because ‎it is a subjective, complex, vague and ambiguous construct, which is also ‎involved with the judgmental process. Therefore, the low accuracy and ‎reliability of the measurement are among the main concerns in using justice ‎perception measurements. The object of this paper was to develop a new ‎method for measuring justice perception in the frame of the Fairness Theory ‎with three types of fairness: distributive, procedural and interactional. It was ‎performed in a Iranian Bank (Melat Bank) with the aim of decreasing the ‎measurement bias and increasing its reliability. The outputs of this fuzzy ‎measurement are significantly different to those of the other conventional ‎methods. The reliability and the construct validity of this fuzzy measurement ‎were confirmed by statistical results. Comparison of the means of the crisp ‎and fuzzy scores using two-paired T- test showed a significant difference ‎between the means of crisp and fuzzy scores in the distributive, interactional ‎and general justice, but there was no not significant difference in this regard ‎in the procedural justice‏.‏‎ It also could represent the latent factors of human ‎cognitive judgment and, therefore, contribute to improve the justice ‎perception process in organizations.‎

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The sediment excluders are provided on the barrages or diversion weirs in the river pocket adjacent to the head regulator to minimize sediment entry in to the canal water. On rivers, the excluders have to deal with alluvial material being transportd by the river. Excessive sediment load can cause damage in a variety of ways which result in many serious problems such as meandering of stream, reduction of channel capacity, silting up of canal, damage to power units and obstruction to navigation. Different types of sediment extractors/ excluders, such as tunnel type, vortex tubes, rectangular settling basins and vortex type settling basins are ofthen employed for this purpose. A tunnel-type sediment excluder is commonly used at the headwork of a canal for preventing excess sediment entry in to the off-taking canal. In such type of excluders, the sediment-laden water, which flows mainly near the bed, is made to flow through the tunnels provided at the bed and the sediment-free water in the top layers is allowed to enter the off-taking canal. It may be then discharged back into the river downstream through the undersluice bays. Comparatively sediment-free water in the top layers is allowed to enter the canal. The only hydraulic principle utilized in its design is that energy loss is kept to a minimum and a minimum velocity of flow is ensured through the tunnel for the non-deposition of the coarse material  In the method recommended by Garde and Pande (1976) and Kothyari (1999) for design of tunnel-type sediment excluders, the main objective is to design a tunnel which is able to flush maximum of sediment load through the tunnel by minimum of excluder discharge and minimum of blockage hence considering all restrictions and constraints for design of such structures.         In the current research it was tried to achieve an optimum design using fuzzy logic abilities and searching the solution domain by an intelligent search method (Genetic Algorithm) which is able to pass the local optimums and find the global optimum. GA considers many points in the serach space simultaneously and has been found to provide a rapid convergence to a near optimum solution in many types of problems. Then optimal designs of GA and Direct-Search method were compared with some of projects in India (i.e. Ganga, Sarda and Eastern Kasi) which were design using traditional methods. A fuzzy AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) approach was used for assessing the weight of efficiency, blockage and sediment excluder discharge in goal function. AHP is particulary usefull for evaluating complex multi attribute alternatives involving subjective criteria.The fuzzy AHP approach allows a more accurate description of the decision making process. The triangular fuzzy numbers were used to build the comparision matrices of AHP based on pairwise comparision technique.The results show that the Genetic Algorithm method gives better results in compare with direct search technique. The result also show that the efficiency of tunnel-type sediment excluders are high enough in both optimal design and traditional methods, but sediment blockage percent in propose optimal design is less than correspond design values using

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In this article, a novel intelligent online tip-over avoidance algorithm is presented considering the interactions between the mobile base and manipulator arm. To this end, the newly suggested dynamic stability margin measure named Moment-Height-Stability (MHS) is adopted. Additionally, a function representing the increment of postural stability margin metric is defined based on MHS. The system dynamic equilibrium is then enhanced using a fuzzy logic approach. The response of the suggested method of this paper is compared with that of a previously Force-Angle based proposed one considering a planar mobile manipulator. First the dynamics of the robot is derived using Newton-Euler method via MAPLE 16 and it is verified through the model provided in SimMechanics toolbox of Simulink. The efficiency of the suggested method is illustrated in comparison to the previous one on a destabilizing robot path. Besides, the performance of proposed method of the present study is investigated in the presence of external disturbances. The obtained simulation results reveal the effectiveness of the performance of the suggested technique for stability improvement of wheeled mobile manipulators once encountering unexpected disturbing situations.

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Today world is changing rapidly. Communications are prevailing every day, ‎information access becomes easier and competition for selling goods gets ‎more sever. One can no more impose the customer to buying a good. It ‎seems that the most successful manufacturers emphasize on an important ‎principle; a simple and at the same time, difficult principle, namely ‎‎“customer service management”. Supply chain management and logistics ‎literature indicates that this principle has changed into a strategic goal for ‎organizations. Companies have found out that with, more customers’ ‎satisfaction and more market share can be obtained by enrichment of their ‎logistics performance. ‎ The methodology used in this research is based on quality function ‎deployment (QFD) approach. It shows that the application of house of ‎quality (HOQ) method improves the efficiency and effectiveness of logistics ‎services and therefore leads to customers’ satisfaction. Also, in order to ‎avoid subjective judgment weak points, fuzzy logic has been used. This ‎methodology has been performed in “Pars Electric Company” for ‎determining strategic activities in the strategic management of car radio. ‎