Generalized symmetries of the Einstein equations are infinitesimal
transformations of the spacetime metric that formally map solutions of the
Einstein equations to other solutions. The infinitesimal generators of these
symmetries are assumed to be local, \ie at a given spacetime point they are
functions of the metric and an arbitrary but finite number of derivatives of
the metric at the point. We classify all generalized symmetries of the vacuum
Einstein equations in four spacetime dimensions and find that the only
generalized symmetry transformations consist of: (i) constant scalings of the
metric (ii) the infinitesimal action of generalized spacetime diffeomorphisms.
Our results rule out a large class of possible ``observables'' for the
gravitational field, and suggest that the vacuum Einstein equations are not
integrable.Comment: 15 pages, FTG-114-USU, Plain Te
