A system comprising: a processor; a data bus coupled to the processor; and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium being coupled to the data bus. The computer program code interacting with a plurality of computer operations and comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for: receiving data from a plurality of data sources; processing the data from the plurality of data sources, the processing the data from the plurality of data sources identifying a plurality of knowledge elements; and, storing the knowledge elements within the cognitive graph as a collection of knowledge elements, the storing universally representing knowledge obtained from the data, each knowledge element being structurally defined within the cognitive graph.