6.1 Does a pure quantum The Thermodynamics of Black Holes5 Calculations of Black Hole

6 Open Issues 

The results described in the previous sections provide a remarkably compelling case that stationary black holes are localized thermal equilibrium states of the quantum gravitational field, and that the laws of black hole mechanics are simply the ordinary laws of thermodynamics applied to a system containing a black hole. Although no results on black hole thermodynamics have been subject to any experimental or observational tests, the theoretical foundation of black hole thermodynamics appears to be sufficiently firm as to provide a solid basis for further research and speculation on the nature of quantum gravitational phenomena. In this section, I will briefly discuss two key unresolved issues in black hole thermodynamics which may shed considerable further light upon quantum gravitational physics.