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(2018) A conceptual history of space and symmetry, Dordrecht, Springer.
The word symmetry comes from the Greek (sigma upsilon mu mu varepsilon au ho acute{iota }alpha ) which is composed of two words (sigma acute{upsilon } u ) (with) and (mu acute{varepsilon } au ho o u ) (measure). Literally (sigma upsilon mu mu varepsilon au ho acute{iota }alpha ) indicates the adequate proportion of the different parts of something, material or immaterial, and it is well represented in classical Greek literature. For instance from Plato we have (eta ) ( u upsilon kappa au acute{o}varsigma ) (pi ho ovarsigma ) (eta mu acute{varepsilon } ho alpha u ) (sigma upsilon mu mu varepsilon au ho acute{iota }alpha ), the right proportion of night to day time, or ( au grave{o}) (sigma acute{upsilon }mu mu varepsilon au ho o u ) (kappa alpha grave{iota }) (kappa alpha lambda acute{o} u ), namely what is proportionate is also beautiful.
Publication details
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-98023-2_2
Full citation:
Fré, P. (2018). Symmetry and mathematics, in A conceptual history of space and symmetry, Dordrecht, Springer, pp. 9-31.
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