Speaking of networks that happen

When we've been thinking conventionally about economics, politics, technological advances or countless other disciplines, we're not speaking of networks. It will amount to a big change in our thinking to speak of networks. As I've recently pondered the nature of this change, I've developed a model of transitions in our perceiving and thinking. Here's a brief look at how we may evolve in our speaking of networks:

1. When we've mostly been thinking of objective things in the world, we will perceive networks as assemblages of nodes. The predominate quality of networks will be the persistent objects at the convergence of connections. We'll notice how those nodes congregate and locate as if they determine how networks function and evolve.  We will speak of networks as nodes that happen to be connected.

2. When we've been thinking about causal mechanisms in the objective world, we will perceive networks as linkages between nodes. The chains of sequential linkages will standout as the most impressive quality of networks. We'll regard the sequences of linkages yielding effects and outcomes as more significant than the nodes between the connections. We will speak of networks as linkages that happen to connect nodes.

3. When we've been thinking about the subjective world of meaning, we will perceive networks as bounded by edges. The interfaces between a network and it's context will predominate our observations. We'll notice how networks open, filter and otherwise interpret whatever is crossing its boundaries. We will speak of networks as edges that happen to interact with surroundings by means of its nodes and linkages.

4. When we've been thinking about helpful accommodations in the design and natural worlds, we will perceive networks as spacious. The capability of networks to contain, serve and support processes will fill the foreground of our awareness. We'll regard how possibilities get explored and innovations emerge from the spaces within networks. We will speak of networks as spaces that happen to contain assemblages of processes which walk a fine line.

What I've written here can also be spoken of as a network that happens:

1. as concepts that happen to tie together coherently
2. as an argument that connects various observations
3. as an interface with all the talk about networks out there
4. as a space for exploring all the speaking of networks with new processes for transitioning to other ways of speaking of networks