Search is L-Mode
Current search engines replicate L-Mode thinking - Linear and logical. I type in “pie” and I get things directly associated with the search term. Practical, but dull!
Tangential is R-mode thinking (albeit in a simplified form). Taken to its extreme an R-mode search engine would take the word “pie”, “think” on it and return numerous interesting connections and patterns many appearing unrelated, yet on deeper inspection they are seen to weave in and around the search focus.
I feel the need to expand on Tangential. Unfortunately I don’t have enough skills or knowledge of the human language.