A Thermodynamic Approaches to Quantum Gravity: Discussion

BaronBautista
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Can gravity be an emergent phenomenon from spacetime thermodynamics, as Jacobson (1995) suggests? How might this apply to quantum gravity at the Planck scale? Thoughts?
Jacobson’s work (1995) [1] demonstrated that Einstein’s equations can be derived from thermodynamic principles, suggesting gravity might emerge from the thermodynamic behavior of spacetime, tied to the entropy of horizons. Other researchers, such as Bekenstein [2] and Verlinde [3], have explored similar ideas, linking gravity to entropy and holographic principles.


I’m interested in discussing how these thermodynamic approaches might apply to quantum gravity, particularly at the Planck scale. For instance, could quantum corrections to spacetime entropy—such as logarithmic terms inspired by conformal field theory and black hole entropy studies—produce observable gravitational effects, like changes in Hawking radiation from primordial black holes? Or might they imply a discrete spacetime structure, aligned with the holographic principle? Additionally, in high-curvature regimes like the early universe, could curvature-dependent entropy terms play a role in gravitational dynamics, as suggested by Penrose’s ideas on low gravitational entropy at the universe’s beginning?


References:
[1] Jacobson, T. (1995). "Thermodynamics of Spacetime: The Einstein Equation of State," Physical Review Letters.
[2] Bekenstein, J. D. (1973). "Black Holes and Entropy," Physical Review D.
[3] Verlinde, E. (2011). "On the Origin of Gravity and the Laws of Newton," Journal of High Energy Physics.

[Mentors' note: this post has been edited to remove references to an unpublished work. The forum rules require that papers must have been published in an appropriate peer-reviewed journal before they can be discussed here]
 
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