The financial markets, since their inception in 17th century Amsterdam, have always worked in a network mode. This is one of the reasons why they could expand so rapidly once the technological infrastructure supported this pattern of communication. Characteristically, Gates began his career in the 1970s while Soros started working in the financial markets in the late 1950, first in London and later on Wall Street. What makes Soros' at times a bit home-made philosophy interesting is that it deeply reflects the characteristics of the network environment. The central element of his framework is the concept of reflexivity.
Reflexivity means that self-awareness is part of the environment.
Since the future is man-made, thinking about the future will inevitably influence the future itself, thus makes it structurally unpredictable. The principle of reflexivity is derived from Karl Popper's differentiation between the natural and social sciences. In the former, the knowledge acquired about a subject, for example the motion of stars, does not influence the subject itself. In the latter the exploration of the subject is part of the subject itself and does influence its development. In economics, reflexivity runs counter to the notion of equilibrium which an free market system is supposed to tend towards.