9. An apparatus for performing a semantic-based analysis of a plurality of documents with regard to a query, the apparatus comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); a content processor for extracting semantic information from content of a plurality of documents, the semantic information including a plurality of factual beliefs, assigning a weight to each of the factual beliefs, the weights being based at least partly on relevance to the query, and assigning links between documents containing related semantic information; a cluster identifier that performs clustering of the plurality of documents by applying a cluster tool to identify documents having content with common information, wherein the cluster identifier adjusts at least one weight of at least one of the weighted factual beliefs or the weighted links to modify at least one cluster of documents; and an inference identifier that determines one or more inferential relationships regarding the query based upon analysis of the plurality of weighted factual beliefs and the links.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the semantic information to be extracted is defined by semantic characteristics, wherein the semantic characteristics comprise a semantic type and a semantic feature, and the semantic feature is a specific instance of the semantic type.