The Substantial Role of Weyl Symmetry in Deriving General Relativity from String Theory

Abstract

String theory reduces to general relativity in appropriate regimes. Huggett and Vistarini have given an account of this reduction that includes a deflationary thesis about symmetry: though the usual derivation of general relativity from string theory appeals to a premise about the theory's symmetry, Huggett and Vistarini argue that this premise plays no logical role. In this paper I disagree with their deflationary thesis and argue that their analysis is based on a popular but flawed conception of the interaction between symmetry and quantization. On this conception, quantization can break symmetries of the classical theory, and we must decide whether these symmetries should be reimposed. I argue that a better conception recognizes a tripartite distinction between ordinary, broken, and anomalous symmetries.