M. Sugeno: Foreword.- L.A. Zadeh: What is Computing with Words?- Introductory Sections: L.A. Zadeh: Fuzzy Logic = Computing with Words; D. Dubois, L. Foulloy, S. Galichet, H. Prade: Performing Approximate Reasoning with Words?; R.R. Yager: Approximate Reasoning as a Basis for Computing with Words; L. Reznik: What is Intelligent Measurement?- Computing with Words: Linguistic Aspects: B.B. Rieger: Semiotics and Computational Linguistics. On Semiotic Cognitive Information Processing; M.J. Smithson: Words about Uncertainty: Analogies and Contexts; V. Dimitrov, B. Hodge: Virtual Meaning: Problems of Interpretation in the Social Sciences; H. Toth: Towards Fixing Some 'Fuzzy' Catchwords: A Terminological Primer.- Computing with Words and Information Granularity: T.Y. Lin: Granular Computing: Fuzzy Logic and Rough Sets; L. Polkowski, A. Skowron: Towards an Adaptive Calculus of Granules; R. De Caluwe, F. Devos, P. Maesfranckx, G. De Tré, B. Van der Cruyssen: Semantics and Modelling of Flexible Time Indications.- Computing with Words: Logical Aspects: W. Ostasiewicz: Towards Fuzzy Logic; E. Ferri, A. Kandel, G. Langholz: Fuzzy Negations; M. Wygralak: Triangular Operations, Negations, and Scalar Cardinality of a Fuzzy Set; E. Czogala, J. Leski: Fuzzy Implications in Approximate Reasoning; H. Thiele: On the Semantics of Fuzzy Linguistic Quantifiers; V. Novák, I. Perfilieva: Evaluating Linguistic Expressions and Functional Fuzzy Theories in Fuzzy Logic.- Computing with Words: Numerical Aspects: M. Delgado, F. Herrera, E. Herrera-Viedma, J.L. Verdegay, M.A. Vila: Aggregation of Linguistic Information Based on a Symbolic Approach.- General Frameworks for Computing with Words: R.R. Gudwin, F.A.C. Gomide: Object Networks: A Computational Framework to Compute with Words; Y. Hattori, T. Furuhashi: Study on a Framework for Solving Ill-defined Problem Using Patterns and Symbols; V. Kreinovich, B. Penn, S. Starks: From Expert Words Directly to Numerical Simulations: Group-Theoretic Approach to Computing with Words in Information/Intelligent Systems.

These two volumes consIstmg of Foundations and Applications provide the current status of theoretical and empirical developments in "computing with words". In philosophy, the twentieth century is said to be the century of language. This is mainly due to Wittgenstein who said: "The meaning of a word is its use in the language game". "The concept game is a concept with blurred edges". In the first phrase, "the language game" implies the everyday human activity with language, and in the latter, "game" simply implies an ordinary word. Thus, Wittgenstein precisely stated that a word is fuzzy in real life. Unfortunately this idea about a word was not accepted in the conventional science. We had to wait for Zadeh's fuzzy sets theory. Remembering Wittgenstein's statement, we should consider, on the one hand, the concept of "computing with words" from a philosophical point of view. It deeply relates to the everyday use of a word in which the meaning of a word is fuzzy in its nature.