Symmetry: A Journey from the beginnings of the concept to modern mathematical formulation

Postgraduate Thesis uoadl:1319845 523 Read counter

Unit:
Τομέας Διδακτικής των Μαθηματικών
Library of the School of Science
Deposit date:
2014-03-10
Year:
2014
Author:
Μιχαλοπούλου Μεταξία
Supervisors info:
Αναπλ. Καθηγητής Διονύσιος Λάππας (επιβλέπων), Καθηγητής Ευάγγελος Ράπτης, Αναπλ. Καθηγητής Παναγιώτης Σπύρου
Original Title:
Συμμετρία: Μια διαδρομή από τις απαρχές της έννοιας μέχρι τη σύγχρονη μαθηματική της διατύπωση
Languages:
Greek
Translated title:
Symmetry: A Journey from the beginnings of the concept to modern mathematical formulation
Summary:
The evolution of the concept of symmetry is consistent with the dynamic changes
in scientific knowledge. The concept was created in man's attempt to understand
the beauty and order of the natural world and the harmony of proportions. The
symmetry principles applied in sculpture, painting, architecture, decoration
and design. The meaning of the word symmetry and its use over time takes
different forms. It took many centuries and the development of group theory, to
form a general abstract mathematical theory of symmetry which compiles
seemingly different symmetries and forms the basis for all special forms. Group
theory and crystallographic terminology, became powerful tools in the study of
decorative art from the Paleolithic eriod up until now. The spiral tendency in
nature, which occurs in the development of some living beings and rotational
fluid motion, such as whirlpools, led to symmetry of similarity and the
symmetry groups of similarity, also present in decorative art. Self-similarity
of coastlines and mountain ranges, were studied by fractal theory and
unpredictable phenomena such as weather, led to the theory of chaos. Symmetry
appears in chaos and it is symmetry after a large number of iterations, in
average.
Keywords:
Symmetry, Groups, Decorative art, Similarity symmetry, Self-similarity
Index:
No
Number of index pages:
0
Contains images:
Yes
Number of references:
84
Number of pages:
190
File:
File access is restricted only to the intranet of UoA.

document.pdf
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