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Most vertebrates and invertebrates have some symmetry. The moon and sun are symmetrical, as are most flowers. The horizon on an ocean is uniformly flat from a sufficient distance.

The definition of ‘perfection’ is almost certainly culturally-dependent, but it’s not completely unreasonable to suggest that humanity is hardwired to be drawn towards some common aspects.



At the same time, (synthetic) human faces generated with perfect symmetry fall into Uncanny Valley territory. Perhaps, when it comes to our perception of the natural world, we subconsciously do appreciate an imperfect symmetry -- something that is symmetrical but only to a certain scale. I wonder if there are other well studied examples of such an effect.




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