Holography as Cutoff: a proposal for measure of inflationary universes

Abstract

We propose the holographic principle as a dynamical cutoff for any quantum theory of gravity with a geometric description at low energies, incorporating ideas of effective field theory. We illustrate the proposal by revisiting the problem of defining a measure for homogeneous and isotropic spacetimes coupled to a scalar field and conclude by discussing the implications to the inflationary model.

18 pages, RevTeX4.1, Clarifications on the geometrical nature of the cutoff. Version matches printed version