Towards a background independent approach to M theory

✍ Scribed by Lee Smolin

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 849 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0960-0779
• DOI: 10.1016/s0960-0779(98)00206-9

✦ Synopsis

Work in progress is described which aims to construct a background independent formulation of M theory by extending results about background independent states and observables from quantum general relativity and supergravity to string theory. A list of principles for such a theory is proposed which is drawn from results of both string theory and non-perturbative approaches to quantum gravity. Progress is reported on a background independent membrane field theory and on a realization of the holographic principle based on finite surfaces.