Einstein has theory of relativity which is violating the classical physics three dimensional viewpoint. It considered space-time dimension which the classical physics ignore.
However, in the string field theory, its a more upgraded theory of einstein which may even include 11 dimensions.
Civil engineering formulas especially stiffness matrix formulas are actually simplified in the same manner. Because we followed law of symmetry. Because matrix are collection of numbers arranged in rows and columns. In order to efficiently simulate a structure, the Global Stiffness Matrix of your structure should be symmetric.