Vassallo, Antonio (2026) General Relativity and Background Independence. [Preprint]

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Abstract

General Relativity (GR) is widely regarded as a paradigmatic example of a background independent theory, a feature often taken to mark a decisive conceptual advance over its Newtonian and special relativistic predecessors. Yet the notion of background independence admits multiple formalizations, and its precise physical and philosophical significance remains contested. This chapter offers a systematic analysis of the strategies that have been proposed to capture background independence in classical spacetime physics. The discussion then turns to a central open question: whether, and in what sense, a successor theory of GR—such as a theory of quantum gravity—should be expected to inherit GR's background independence. Drawing on contemporary debates and a range of case studies, the chapter argues that background independence is best understood as a diagnostic and comparative tool rather than as a necessary physical requirement. The resulting perspective highlights both the conceptual virtues and the interpretive costs of eliminating background structures, and helps to explain why background independence remains an open problem in contemporary foundational research.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Vassallo, Antonio antonio.vassallo1977@gmail.com 0000-0002-1846-5362
Additional Information:	Forthcoming in S. O. Hansson (ed.), "Comprehensive Philosophy of Science," Elsevier.
Keywords:	Absolute structure; background independence; diffeomorphism invariance; general covariance; general relativity; gauge symmetry; spacetime structure; quantum gravity.
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Gravity Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Depositing User:	Antonio Vassallo
Date Deposited:	13 Jun 2026 12:45
Last Modified:	13 Jun 2026 12:45
Item ID:	30102
DOI or Unique Handle:	10.1016/B978-0-443-40622-5.00019-0
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Gravity Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Date:	2026
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/30102

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