Symmetry

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Benedict Rattigan’s Dynamic Symmetry Theory (DST) is a modern philosophical and scientific framework that expands on earlier geometric interpretations of harmony—particularly those of Jay Hambidge—but redefines symmetry as a principle governing the dynamic stability of complex systems, both living and non-living:

1. Symmetry as Balance Between Order and Disorder
Rattigan’s central insight is that living systems (and complex systems generally) thrive in a dynamic equilibrium between chaos and order. Too much order produces rigidity and stasis; too much chaos leads to collapse. True adaptive vitality, in biology, society, or consciousness, lies in the interplay between these forces—a “living geometry” of balance.

2. The Universe as a Self-Organising Symmetrical System
DST proposes that symmetry is not static but generative: it describes a constant interplay of opposing yet complementary tendencies (expansion/contraction, entropy/negentropy, randomness/pattern). This principle operates from atomic structure up through biological evolution and human creativity.

3. Dynamic Symmetry Index (DSI)
Rattigan developed the Dynamic Symmetry Index as a mathematical tool for assessing where an organism, idea, or system sits on the continuum between rigidity and chaos. Systems with high DSI values exhibit creative resilience—adaptive but structured, like ecosystems or the human brain.

4. Ethical and Ecological Implications
As founding Director of The Schweitzer Institute for Environmental Ethics, Rattigan connects dynamic symmetry to Albert Schweitzer’s “Reverence for Life”, arguing that ethics and sustainability arise naturally from the same symbiotic principles that underpin order in living systems. Harmony in nature is not static balance but continuous negotiation among competing forces.

5. Integration Across Disciplines
DST serves as a unifying model linking physics, biology, philosophy, and art. It draws on fractal geometry, systems theory, and thermodynamics as much as on classical philosophy and aesthetics. The theory treats pattern, proportion, and feedback loops as the connective logic of reality itself.

6. Practical Application
Rattigan and collaborators such as Denis Noble argue that understanding dynamic symmetry could reshape how science models biological processes, how ethics is taught, and how human creativity mirrors natural self-organisation.