A computerized idea generator and problem solver that can receive English language sentences describing a problem to be solved and generate solutions by analogy. The computer uses words in the problem description sentences to obtain information from a database that relates to the type of problem to be solved, for example, animal, plant or human. The computer then uses this information to access analogous information from a second database. The information used can include (1) where a noun in the problem description is categorized in a hierarchy of information within the database, and (2) what purpose or what function is provided by that noun. This information is used to obtain a noun from a second database and a description of how to solve an analogous problem with respect to that noun. The original noun is substituted in the sentence for the second noun to arrive at a solution.