Niels Linnemann: General relativity as a classical spin-2 theory?

Oxford Philosophy of Physics Seminars, Hilary term 2023
9 March - Niels Linnemann (University of Geneva)
Title: General relativity as a classical spin-2 theory?
Abstract: The self-interaction spin-2 approach to general relativity (GR) has been extremely influential in the particle physics community. Leaving no doubt regarding its heuristic value, we argue that any view of the metric field of GR as nothing but a stand-in for a self-coupling field in flat spacetime runs into a dilemma: either the view is physically incomplete in so far as it requires recourse to GR after all, or it leads to an absurd multiplication of alternative viewpoints on GR rendering any understanding of the metric field as nothing but a spin-2 field in flat spacetime unjustified.