Conceptual representation for knowledge bases and << intelligent >> information retrieval systems

This paper describes the “conceptual” Knowledge Representation Language (KRL) proper to an environment for the construction and use of large Knowledge Bases and/or “Intelligent” Information Retrieval Systems. In the KRL, we separate the treatment of the episodic memory (extensional, assertional data = “Snoopy is Charlie Brown's beagle”) from the treatment of the semantic memory (intensional, terminological data = A beagle is a sort of hound / a hound is a dog …). A compromise between an “object-oriented approach” and a “logic-oriented approach” is proposed for implementation purposes.