Aspects described herein provide solutions to problems posed by a user. Input that includes a specified subject may be received from a user. A specified descriptor for the specified subject may be obtained from a hierarchical taxonomy associated with the specified subject. An information repository may be searched based on the specific descriptor, and entries stored at the information repository that are associated with the specific descriptor may be indicated in a list of results. The specific descriptor may be iteratively generalized to obtain generalized descriptors, and the information repository may be searched based on the generalized descriptors. The generalized descriptors may also be specialized to obtain specialized descriptors, and the information repository may be searched based on the specialized descriptors. The list of results may include entries stored at the information repository that are respectively associated with the generalized descriptors and the specialized descriptors.