Abstract: Generality is one of the cardinal virtues of science: general theories are better theories. The problem of quantum gravity is that our two most general physical theories - general relativity (GR) and quantum mechanics (QM) - are incompatible, undermining one another's foundations. It is normally assumed that some more general theory is waiting to be found, which will explain both GR and QM as its application to particular domains. In this talk I want to offer a different explanation: that the generalities of GR and QM are of different kinds, distinct extrapolations from an implicit dualism between viewer and view. This suggests that the problem of quantum gravity is philosophical, rather than scientific, and has its true source closer to home.
The PoP-Grunch (Philosophy of Physics Graduate Lunch) is a weekly informal seminar in which graduate students in Philosophy of Physics present their work in progress.
Philosophy of Physics Graduate Lunch Seminar Convenor: Paolo Faglia
