The "Shut up and Calculate" Approach to Quantum Gravity - a podcast by MCMP Team

Robert Helling (LMU) gives a talk at the MCMP workshop "Quantum Gravity in Perspective" (31 May-1 June, 2013) titled "The "Shut up and Calculate" Approach to Quantum Gravity". Abstract: Quantum mechanics would have never been developed requiring to first understand all foundational issues. Rahter, it was approached in a pragmatic way summarized as shut up and calculate. For quantum gravity we already understand a number of its properties even if it is still unclear what form the final theory will have and how it solves its conceptual conundrums. The often repeated claim that quantum gravity lacks empirical data is - taken without qualification - not true. Rather, the requirement to reduce to known theories relativity in the appropiate limits togehter with our expericence of everyday physics rule out most creative proposals for a theory of quantum gravity. We want to pursue the effective-filed-theory line-of-thought neglecting conceptual expectations. The effective field theory approach still leaves room for a wide variety of ideas like string theory, loop quantum gravity or emergent gravity as we will show in a number of examples.

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