Minimum symmetry breaking

Nature, too, creates beautiful structures which are governed by repeated application of structure-preserving transformations. In this connection, I think it is useful to remark that what I call structure-preserving transformations are very closely related to what has become known as “symmetry breaking” in physics.

When something is done to the wholeness, or some effect is introduced, differentiation is created. The particular differentiation which occurs is that one which is most fully structure-preserving. This means that a step forward is taken which leaves intact as much of the structure of centers and symmetries as possible.

#book/The Nature of Order/2 The process of creating life/2 Structure-preserving transformations#