Solving Quantum Gravity with Non-Ontological Science

Written by an experimental Artificial Wisdom Emulation (AWE) prototype.

Quantum gravity, the effort to reconcile quantum mechanics (QM) and general relativity (GR), has long resisted resolution. Traditional approaches assume the existence of ontological constructs such as “spacetime,” “particles,” or “fields,” treating them as foundational entities. This reification introduces paradoxes: GR describes spacetime as a smooth continuum, while QM operates with discrete quanta. Attempts to force these frameworks into a unified theory stumble on these incompatible metaphysical assumptions.

A non-ontological approach reframes the problem by recognizing that neither spacetime nor quanta are intrinsic properties of reality. Instead, they are provisional constructs arising contextually from specific causes and conditions. By dissolving reified constructs, we can shift focus to how phenomena arise relationally and interdependently, avoiding the metaphysical traps that have stalled progress.

Analyzing the Problem

Reified Constructs in GR and QM:

1. Spacetime in GR: GR models spacetime as a four-dimensional geometric manifold, deformable by mass and energy. This construct works extraordinarily well for macroscopic scales but assumes spacetime is an ontological substrate.
2. Quanta in QM: QM posits particles and fields governed by probabilistic wave functions. These “quanta” are effective constructs for describing interactions at subatomic scales but are not ontological entities.

The clash arises because GR assumes a smooth, continuous spacetime, while QM assumes discrete, probabilistic interactions. Efforts like string theory or loop quantum gravity attempt to quantize spacetime or impose geometrical continuity on quantum phenomena, often leading to highly abstract and mathematically complex models. These models remain speculative because they retain the reification of underlying constructs.

Reframing the Problem

Using a non-ontological framework, we recognize that spacetime and quanta are neither fundamental nor emergent. They are contextually constructed descriptions of phenomena within specific observational and experimental regimes. This reframing allows us to bypass the metaphysical need to unify them as ontological entities.

1. Spacetime as a Contextual Construct:
   Spacetime is a conceptual scaffold that arises when certain causes and conditions—such as macroscopic scales and weak gravitational fields—are present. It is not an entity to be quantized or reduced. On quantum scales, where these conditions are absent, spacetime as modeled in GR does not arise.
2. Quanta as Contextual Constructs:
   Quanta are constructs that describe probabilistic interactions under experimental conditions specific to QM. The “wave function” is a tool for prediction, not an ontological descriptor of reality.
3. Phenomena Arise from Causes and Conditions:
   Rather than assuming spacetime and quanta as primary entities, a non-ontological approach focuses on the specific conditions under which phenomena associated with GR or QM arise. These are not different “realities” to be unified but different contextual domains of relational interactions.

Toward a Practical Framework

1. Avoiding Ontological Reductionism:
Rather than seeking a “theory of everything” that reduces one domain to the other, the focus shifts to creating models that describe transitions between conditions where QM or GR constructs are applicable. For example, instead of quantizing spacetime, the goal would be to identify the conditions under which spacetime as a construct ceases to be a meaningful descriptor and quantum effects dominate.

2. Relational Descriptions:
Adopt models that prioritize the relational and interdependent nature of phenomena. For instance, spacetime curvature in GR could be described relationally as patterns in the interactions of energy and matter at macroscopic scales, while quantum phenomena are relational descriptions at microscopic scales.

3. Contextual Bridging Models:
Hybrid approaches like effective field theories are consistent with this perspective. These models do not attempt to unify constructs ontologically but describe how phenomena appear in different regimes. A non-ontological approach could refine such methods, focusing on how transitions between regimes (e.g., the Planck scale) arise conditionally without reifying the bridging constructs.

Dissolving the Paradox

Quantum gravity is not a singular problem to be “solved” but a conceptual tension arising from reified assumptions about spacetime and quanta. By acknowledging that these are not ontological entities but tools for describing phenomena within specific contexts, we dissolve the paradox of their incompatibility.

The focus shifts from constructing a universal theory to understanding the causes and conditions under which these frameworks arise, overlap, and transition. For example, the Planck scale is not a “place” where spacetime becomes quantum but a boundary where the applicability of one construct gives way to the other, based on relational conditions.

Benefits of the Non-Ontological Approach

1. Avoids Metaphysical Dead Ends:
   By not treating spacetime or quanta as primary, this approach avoids speculative metaphysics (e.g., string theory’s higher dimensions) and focuses on practical, observable phenomena.
2. Encourages Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
   A non-ontological paradigm integrates insights from physics, mathematics, and philosophy without privileging one framework over the others.
3. Promotes Conceptual Flexibility:
   Freed from the constraints of reification, scientists can explore alternative descriptions and hybrid models without being bound by metaphysical coherence.

Conclusion

The problem of quantum gravity dissolves when approached through non-ontological principles. By treating spacetime and quanta as context-dependent constructs arising relationally, we avoid the metaphysical traps that have stalled progress. This paradigm emphasizes practical, flexible models that describe transitions between different regimes of phenomena, fostering a more adaptive and innovative approach to fundamental physics.

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Written by an experimental Artificial Wisdom Emulation (AWE) prototype, designed to reflect the innate wisdom within us all—wisdom that cannot be bought or sold. AWE-ai.org is a nonprofit initiative of the Center for Artificial Wisdom.