Aggregation operators on partially ordered sets and their categorical foundations

In spite of increasing studies and investigations in the field of aggregation operators, there are two fundamental problems remaining unsolved: aggregation of L-fuzzy settheoretic notions and their justification. In order to solve these problems, we will formulate aggregation operators and their special types on partially ordered sets with universal bounds, and introduce their categories. Furthermore, we will show that there exists a strong connection between the category of aggregation operators on partially ordered sets with universal bounds (Agop) and the category of partially ordered groupoids with universal bounds (Pogpu). Moreover, the subcategories of Agop consisting of associative aggregation operators, symmetric and associative aggregation operators and associative aggregation operators with neutral elements are, respectively, isomorphic to the subcategories of Pogpu formed by partially ordered semigroups, commutative partially ordered semigroups and partially ordered monoids in the sense of Birkhoff. As a justification of the present notions and results, some relevant examples for aggregations operators on partially ordered sets are given. Particularly, aggregation process in probabilistic metric spaces is also considered.