I say that this blog consists of writing about networks (aka, reticula), which is kind of true and kind of baloney. I pretty much write about whatever I damn well please. That’s kind of the point of a personal blog.
Still, it’s true that I often write about networks, in one form or another. So, on this page are some of the posts most obviously related to webs and networks, though I know various other posts could be placed here as well.
Why Networks?
Why networks? Because as far as I can tell, everything in the universe is either a network or a system (it can be hard to tell the difference), including space itself (maybe). All living things are obviously made up of networks and systems. Anyone with a high-school microscope can see that.
But even the most solid of objects are also networks…of atoms. Indeed, it is the structure of that network that determines whether those solid objects (lets say, rocks) are hard (think diamond) or soft (think chalk).
Of course, we haven’t much of a clue about stuff like dark matter and dark energy, so maybe networks aren’t everywhere. Still, I think the chances are pretty good they’ll also turn out to be networks.
Networks within Networks
So, when I say that “nothing but the reticulum exists,” I mean it literally. We see nodes and links everywhere we look. Of course, it might not turn out to be true, but it’s a decent theory. And, I suppose, given that theories only exist in those complex networks in our noggins, theories themselves are networks.
So, maybe it’s networks within networks within networks. An infinite regress that is ultimately just a single entity. Or, I guess you could say it’s networks all the way down.
