Jaksland, Rasmus (2019) The multiple realizability of general relativity in quantum gravity. [Preprint]

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Abstract

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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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Jaksland, Rasmus rasmus.jaksland@ntnu.no 0000-0001-9531-9994
Additional Information:	Forthcoming in Synthese
Keywords:	quantum gravity, general relativity, spacetime functionalism, entanglement, emergent gravity, multiple realizability, string theory
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Gravity Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Depositing User:	Mr. Rasmus Jaksland
Date Deposited:	02 Sep 2019 20:14
Last Modified:	02 Sep 2019 20:14
Item ID:	16397
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11229-019-02382-8
DOI or Unique Handle:	10.1007/s11229-019-02382-8
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Gravity Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Date:	September 2019
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/16397

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