| Summary: | We consider <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mi>R</mi> <mo>+</mo> <msup> <mi>R</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> relativistic quantum gravity with the action where all possible terms quadratic in the curvature tensor are added to the Einstein-Hilbert term. This model was shown to be renormalizable in the work by K.S. Stelle. In this paper, we demonstrate that the <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mi>R</mi> <mo>+</mo> <msup> <mi>R</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> model is also unitary contrary to the statements made in the literature, in particular in the work by Stelle. New expressions for the <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mi>R</mi> <mo>+</mo> <msup> <mi>R</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> Lagrangian within dimensional regularization and the graviton propagator are derived. We demonstrate that the <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mi>R</mi> <mo>+</mo> <msup> <mi>R</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> model is a good candidate for the fundamental quantum theory of gravity.
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