Response to Comment on "Reexamining $f(R,T)$ Gravity''

Abstract

Harko and Moraes claim that in $f(R,T)$ gravity with $f(R,T)=f_1(R)+f_2(T)$, the term $f_2(T)$ cannot be incorporated in the matter Lagrangian ${\cal L}_m$. A careful examination of their Comment finds that they have made several dubious assumptions without indicating any errors in our work. Most notably, they have unjustifiably claimed that the two terms ${\cal L}_m$ and $f_2(T)$ are of ``different origin,'' and their inference that only the first contributes to the energy momentum tensor is arbitrary. Also significant, their derivation of equations of motion from a Lagrangian formulation, imposing conservation constraints {\it ad hoc} rather than via Lagrange multipliers, leads to inconsistent conclusions.