The multiple realizability of general relativity in quantum gravity.

Must a theory of quantum gravity have some truth to it if it can recover general relativity in some limit of the theory? This paper answers this question in the negative by indicating that general relativity is multiply realizable in quantum gravity. The argument is inspired by spacetime functionali...

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Publicado en:Synthese Vol. 199; no. 2; pp. 441 - 468
Autor principal: Jaksland, Rasmus
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Springer Nature Dec2021 Supplement 2
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: The multiple realizability of general relativity in quantum gravity.
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        au: Jaksland, Rasmus
        affil: Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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        Quantum gravity
        Einstein field equations
        General relativity (Physics)
        Quantum theory
        Gravity
        Spacetime
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        subj:
          Quantum gravity
          Einstein field equations
          General relativity (Physics)
          Quantum theory
          Gravity
          Spacetime
      keyword:
        Emergent gravity
        Entanglement
        General relativity
        Multiple realizability
        Spacetime functionalism
        String theory
      ab: Must a theory of quantum gravity have some truth to it if it can recover general relativity in some limit of the theory? This paper answers this question in the negative by indicating that general relativity is multiply realizable in quantum gravity. The argument is inspired by spacetime functionalism—multiple realizability being a central tenet of functionalism—and proceeds via three case studies: induced gravity, thermodynamic gravity, and entanglement gravity. In these, general relativity in the form of the Einstein field equations can be recovered from elements that are either manifestly multiply realizable or at least of the generic nature that is suggestive of functions. If general relativity, as argued here, can inherit this multiple realizability, then a theory of quantum gravity can recover general relativity while being completely wrong about the posited microstructure. As a consequence, the recovery of general relativity cannot serve as the ultimate arbiter that decides which theory of quantum gravity that is worthy of pursuit, even though it is of course not irrelevant either qua quantum gravity. Thus, the recovery of general relativity in string theory, for instance, does not guarantee that the stringy account of the world is on the right track; despite sentiments to the contrary among string theorists.
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    language: English
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