Is string field theory background independent?

Journal article

String field theory is supposed to stand to perturbative string theory as quantum field theory stands to single-particle quantum theory; as such, it purports to offer a substantially more general and powerful perspective on string theory than the perturbative approach. In addition, string field theory has been claimed for several decades to liberate string theory from any fixed, background spatiotemporal commitments—thereby (if true) rendering it ‘background independent’. But is this really so? In this article, we undertake a detailed interrogation of this claim, finding that the verdict is sensitive both to one’s understanding of the notion of background independence, and also to how one understands string field theory itself. Although in the end our verdicts on the question of the background independence are therefore somewhat mixed, we hope that our study will elevate the levels of systematicity and rigour in these discussions, as well as equip philosophers of physics with a helpful introduction to string field theory and the variety of interesting conceptual questions which it raises.

Authors: Krátký, M; Narra, B; Read, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer
• Journal: Foundations of Physics
• Volume: 56
• Issue: 3
• Article number: 26
• Publication date: 2026-04-22
• Acceptance date: 2026-03-31
• DOI: 10.1007/s10701-026-00925-x
• EISSN: 1572-9516
• ISSN: 0015-9018
• Language: English