Determining Type, Part, Color, and Time Relationships

The development of a simple question-answering system is considered. In particular, methods are described that are designed to supplement a deductive question-answering algorithm that is now operational. The algorithm draws on a base of logical propositions organized as a semantic net. The net permits selective access to the contents of individual mental worlds and narratives, to sets of entities of any specified type, and to propositions involving any specified entity and classified under any specified topic. The problems involved in determining type, part-of, color, and time relationships are discussed. It is shown that much combinatory reasoning in a question-answering system can be short-circuited by the use of special graphical and geometrical methods. 13 references.