The philosophy behind Quantum Gravity

  1. Zinkernagel, Henrik
Revista:
Theoria: an international journal for theory, history and foundations of science

ISSN: 0495-4548

Año de publicación: 2006

Volumen: 21

Número: 57

Páginas: 295-312

Tipo: Artículo

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Otras publicaciones en: Theoria: an international journal for theory, history and foundations of science

Resumen

This paper investigates some of the philosophical and conceptual issues raised by the search for a quantum theory of gravity. It is critically discussed wheter such a theory is necessary in the first place, and how much would be accomplished if it is eventually constructed. I argu that the motivations behind, and expectations to, a theory of quantum gravity are entangled with central themes in the philosophy of science, in particular unification, reductionism, and the interpretation of quantum mechanics. I further argue that there are - contrary to claims made on behalf of string theory - no good reasons to think that a quantum theory of gravity, if constructed, will provide a theory of everything, that is, a fundamental theory from which all physics ini principle can be derived

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