Modular Theory, Non-Commutative Geometry and Quantum Gravity

Abstract

This paper contains the first written exposition of some ideas (announced in a previous survey) on an approach to quantum gravity based on Tomita-Takesaki modular theory and A. Connes non-commutative geometry aiming at the reconstruction of spectral geometries from an operational formalism of states and categories of observables in a covariant theory. Care has been taken to provide a coverage of the relevant background on modular theory, its applications in non-commutative geometry and physics and to the detailed discussion of the main foundational issues raised by the proposal.

Keywords

• modular theory
• non-commutative geometry
• spectral triple
• category theory
• quantum physics
• space-time