Foreword, by James Bjorken .
Preface
Acknowledgements
Terminology and notation
Part Ⅰ Relativistic foundations
1 General ideas and heuristic picture
1.1 The problem of quantum gravity
1.2 Loop quantum gravity
1.3 Conceptual issues
2 General Relativity
2.1 Formalism
2.2 The conceptual path to the theory
2.3 Interpretation
2.4 Complements
3 Mechanics
3.1 Nonrelativistic mechanics: mechanics is about time evolution
3.2 Relativistic mechanics
3.3 Field theory
3.4 Thermal time hypothesis
4 Hamiltonian general relativity
4.1 Einstein-Hamilton-Jacobi
4.2 Euclidean GR and real connection
4.3 Hamiltonian GR
5 Quantum mechanics
5.1 Nonrelativistic QM
5.2 Relativistic QM
5.3 Quantum field theory
5.4 Quantum gravity
5.5 Complements
5.6 Relational interpretation of quantum theory
Part Ⅱ Loop quantum gravity
6 Quantum space
7 Dynamics and matter
8 Applications
9 Quantum spacetime: spinfoams
10 Conclusion
Part Ⅲ Appendices
Appendxi A Groups and recoupling theory
Reference
Index
This book is about only one approach to the subject - loop quantum gravity. It is a subject of considerable technical difficulty, and the literature devoted to it is a formidable one. This feature alone has hindered the cross-fertilization which is, as delineated above, so essential for progress. However, within these pages one will find a much more accessible description of the subject, put forward by one of its leading architects and deepest thinkers. The existence of such a fine book will allow this important subject, quite likely to contribute significantly to the unknown ultimate theory, to be assimilated by a much larger community of the-orists. If this does indeed come to pass, its publication will become one of the most important developments in this very active subfield since its onset.