Concept in Definition ABC

The word asymmetry refers the lack of symmetry in a certain space or that presents a certain thing.

Lack of symmetry in places or others that implies that there is no harmony or proportion in terms of size, position

Meanwhile, for symmetry you understand the correspondence exact in size, shape and position of the parts that make up a whole. “The asymmetry of this room causes me a lot of problems when it comes to the distribution of the furniture.”

There are people who cannot stand asymmetry and so when they appreciate something that is lacking in alignment or proportion, they will try to overpower all the things to achieve it, and on the other hand there are people who are not interested in this topic at all and can live perfectly with the asymmetry.

One of the classic examples of symmetry that is mentioned to better understand the concept is that of the painting by the plastic artist Leonardo Da Vinci, The Vitruvian Man, in which a perfectly symmetrical human body is represented.

At the level of Biology

At the behest of the biology, symmetry is that ideal correspondence in the body of an animal with respect to a center, an axis or a plane, Meanwhile, according to this correspondence, the organs or equivalent parts will be distributed in a certain order.

And, for its part, the geometry indicates that symmetry is the exact correspondence in the provision of the points or parts of a body or figure in relation to a center, axis or plane.

Distinguishing different classes

This type of symmetry may be: axial (there is an axis that does not lead to any modification of position in space with the turns around it), reflective (defined by the existence of a single plane) or spherical (exists under any possible rotation).

Then, the asymmetry will be the property that certain bodies, functions math or other types of elements, in which, when applying an effective transformation rule, they will present changes with respect to the original element.

The concept of symmetry is related to terms such as: irregularity, disproportion, inequality, abnormality, imbalance, deformity and as we pointed out lines above, it is directly opposed to that of symmetry.

So, when we say of something that it is asymmetric, or that it shows asymmetry, we will want to show that the different parts that make up that They do not all have correspondence or harmony with each other as regards their size, shape or position, that is, there is a clear difference in these aspects in all the component elements, a fact that will make the piece in question absolutely different from another and lacking defined proportions on equality.

Association with inequality

The concept can be applied in various contexts and situations in which you clearly want to express the evident and existing inequality, imbalance that exists between two or more things, people, situations.

For example, applied in the social field, we can use the concept at hand to name the lack of equality that exists in a given community in economic and judicial matters, among others.

When there is no equitable distribution of wealth in a country, it will have a direct impact on opportunities and the gap between the different classes that comprise it.

If the distribution is disproportionate, that is, there is no symmetry in it, there will be a marked difference between the people who most they have and those who have the least, usually generating that the latter cannot even cover their basic needs.

In another vein, with regard to the human body, it may happen that there are people who have an asymmetry in some part of their body, for example in their legs, and thus have one longer than the other, which will obviously cause problems and dysfunction when walking, since this disproportionality, for example, will cause a limp to occur when moving.

This problem may be due to having a disease, to a congenital situation that triggered it, or to an accident that injured one of the lower extremities and, for example, prevents the person from being able to move normally.

Topics in Asymmetry