[en] Classical gravity with higher derivatives, when coupled to the in-out matrix element of Tsub(μ)sub(ν): (a) appears to be free from instabilities of the in-in theory; (b) may be considered as the underlying classical theory to Tomboulis' 1/N-resummed quantum gravity. I explain how these two facts may be adduced as evidence for the viability both of the former semi-classical approximation and of the latter approach to full quantum gravity. (orig.)