Black Hole Remnants and Classical vs. Quantum Gravity

Bokulich, Peter (2001) Black Hole Remnants and Classical vs. Quantum Gravity.

Abstract

Belot, Earman, and Ruetsche (1999) dismiss the black hole remnant proposal as an inadequate
response to the Hawking information loss paradox. I argue that their criticisms are misplaced
and that, properly understood, remnants do offer a substantial reply to the argument against the
possibility of unitary evolution in spacetimes that contain evaporating black holes. The key to
understanding these proposals lies in recognizing that the question of where and how our current
theories break down is at the heart of these debates in quantum gravity. I also argue that the
controversial nature of assessing the limits of general relativity and quantum field theory
illustrates the significance of attempts to establish the proper borders of our effective theories.