6th World Conference on Soft Computing, California, United States Of America, 22 - 25 May 2016, vol.361, pp.361-379
Hierarchical fuzzy systems are one of the most popular solutions for the curse of dimensionality problem occurred in complex fuzzy rule based systems with a large number of input parameters. Nevertheless these systems have a hidden inaccuracy and instability problem. In detail, the outputs of hierarchical systems, based on Mamdani style inference, differ from the outputs of equivalent single system. Moreover they are not stable in any variation of system modeling even if the rules and membership functions do not expose any differentiation. This paper revisits inaccuracy and instability problems of hierarchical fuzzy inference systems. It investigates the differentiation in systems' behaviors against the variations in system modeling, and provides a pattern to identify the magnitude of this differentiation.