Networked thinking is divergence and emergence. It is thinking in the Garden.
Starting from any relevant node in the network, the divergent phase consists in branching out from that original point in many directions, without trying to evaluate the validity of any particular idea.
Networked thought replaces categorical thinking and challenges linear thinking. It uncovers non-obvious interconnections and allows exploration of second-order consequences, seemingly unrelated. At its mathematical foundation lies Graph theory—ideas as nodes, connections as edges, much like how a Milieu can be visualized as a directed graph of people, objects, and ideas.
Breaking the mould of categorical thinking, where the goal is to determine fixed boundaries and which pushes us to set arbitrary thresholds for decisions, networked thinking encourages unbounded exploration, where the explorer needs to be comfortable with the idea of not having a specified destination. When it comes to knowledge, there is no “end of the road”—networked thinking is all about embracing the chaotic nature of the journey.
This approach to thinking manifests in Hypertext systems, where links create meaning through connection rather than hierarchy. The structure itself enables reader-generated understanding, as each person constructs their own path through the networked ideas.