1. A computer-based searching method comprising: a) receiving, at a computer, a search concept that includes a plurality of principal words; b) determining a set of semantically similar words for at least one of the principal words, wherein the principal words are extracted from the search concept using a natural language processing utility; c) receiving, at the computer, user input for improving the set of semantically similar words and a degree of membership for individual words within the set of semantically similar words to generate improvement in search results, wherein the user input includes an addition of one or more words to the set of semantically similar words; d) calculating, based on user input, a degree of membership for each word that reflects a semantic similarity in meaning to the principal word of the set with which each word is associated; e) performing a search using at least the set of semantically similar words; f) computing a score for each search result based at least on the degrees of membership for each of the semantically similar words used in the search and that at least one of the principal words, wherein computing the score for each search result comprises: determining the degree of membership corresponding to each of the semantically similar words included in the search result and the at least one of the principal words to create a set of membership weights; and determining which membership weight among the determined set of membership weights is a minimum membership weight; selecting the minimum membership weight among the determined set of membership weights to be the score for the search result; and g) sorting and displaying results of the search using the computed scores.
1. A computer-based searching method comprising: a) receiving, at a computer, a search concept that includes a plurality of principal words; b) determining a set of semantically similar words for at least one of the principal words, wherein the principal words are extracted from the search concept using a natural language processing utility; c) receiving, at the computer, user input for improving the set of semantically similar words and a degree of membership for individual words within the set of semantically similar words to generate improvement in search results, wherein the user input includes an addition of one or more words to the set of semantically similar words; d) calculating, based on user input, a degree of membership for each word that reflects a semantic similarity in meaning to the principal word of the set with which each word is associated; e) performing a search using at least the set of semantically similar words; f) computing a score for each search result based at least on the degrees of membership for each of the semantically similar words used in the search and that at least one of the principal words, wherein computing the score for each search result comprises: determining the degree of membership corresponding to each of the semantically similar words included in the search result and the at least one of the principal words to create a set of membership weights; and determining which membership weight among the determined set of membership weights is a minimum membership weight; selecting the minimum membership weight among the determined set of membership weights to be the score for the search result; and g) sorting and displaying results of the search using the computed scores. 11. The computer-based searching method according to claim 1 wherein sorting the results comprises calculating a score for each rule comparison at least in part based on an algorithm and a degree of membership for each word in the semantically similar set.